Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified the following details on farm hand salaries by state in the United States as of 2026:
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North Dakota boasts the highest average farm hand salary at $40,049.
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Wyoming has the lowest average farm hand salary at $20,091.
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The national average salary for farm hands is $27,300.
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The national hourly pay for farm hands is $13.14.
You can read more about the specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, across various surveys, the most critical aspect of a job for employees remains salary—how much do farm hands earn in my area?
While numerous factors influence individual salary expectations, reliable data exists on average farm hand salaries by state in the U.S., segmented by experience level. Although your local salary may vary slightly from the state average, these figures provide a solid benchmark for salary expectations.
Currently, North Dakota ranks as the top state for farm hand salaries.
Below is a snapshot of the top ten states for farm hand salaries:
Let’s delve into how these rankings were established along with a comprehensive list of salaries across all states.
Highest-Paid Farm Hands By State
| Rank | State | Average Farm Hand Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $40,049 | $32,000 | $50,000 |
| 2 | Montana | $38,144 | $29,000 | $48,000 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $34,839 | $28,000 | $43,000 |
| 4 | Idaho | $34,158 | $26,000 | $43,000 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $33,590 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $32,770 | $26,000 | $40,000 |
| 7 | Iowa | $32,567 | $26,000 | $39,000 |
| 8 | Missouri | $31,918 | $26,000 | $38,000 |
| 9 | Vermont | $31,784 | $26,000 | $38,000 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $31,671 | $26,000 | $37,000 |
| 11 | Utah | $31,577 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 12 | Maine | $31,391 | $26,000 | $37,000 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $31,375 | $25,000 | $38,000 |
| 14 | Oregon | $30,856 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $30,211 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $29,253 | $25,000 | $33,000 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $29,121 | $25,000 | $33,000 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $29,017 | $24,000 | $34,000 |
| 19 | California | $29,014 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 20 | New York | $29,004 | $24,000 | $34,000 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $28,884 | $24,000 | $34,000 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $28,847 | $24,000 | $34,000 |
| 23 | Washington | $28,772 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 24 | Delaware | $28,471 | $24,000 | $33,000 |
| 25 | Illinois | $28,241 | $23,000 | $33,000 |
| 26 | Ohio | $27,583 | $23,000 | $32,000 |
| 27 | Nevada | $27,382 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $27,236 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 29 | Arizona | $26,982 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 30 | Kansas | $26,610 | $21,000 | $32,000 |
| 31 | Alaska | $26,456 | $21,000 | $32,000 |
| 32 | Michigan | $26,268 | $21,000 | $31,000 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $26,070 | $21,000 | $31,000 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $25,968 | $22,000 | $29,000 |
| 35 | Colorado | $25,801 | $20,000 | $32,000 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $25,330 | $21,000 | $30,000 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $25,151 | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $24,736 | $20,000 | $29,000 |
| 39 | Alabama | $24,181 | $20,000 | $28,000 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $24,096 | $21,000 | $27,000 |
| 41 | Georgia | $23,618 | $20,000 | $27,000 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $23,316 | $19,000 | $27,000 |
| 43 | Maryland | $23,240 | $19,000 | $27,000 |
| 44 | Texas | $23,185 | $18,000 | $28,000 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,679 | $19,000 | $26,000 |
| 46 | Florida | $22,032 | $19,000 | $25,000 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $21,193 | $17,000 | $24,000 |
| 48 | Indiana | $21,112 | $17,000 | $25,000 |
| 49 | Virginia | $20,524 | $17,000 | $23,000 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $20,091 | $15,000 | $25,000 |
Methodology: Farm Hand Salary By State
To better understand farm hand pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across various channels, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is supplemented with actual salaries listed in job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average to determine the average pay for farm hands by state.
We ranked each state based on these average annual salaries, identifying the state with the highest salary as the top-ranking state for farm hand pay.
Farm Hand Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for farm hands?
The highest-paid state for farm hands is North Dakota, with an average salary of $40,049 per year.
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What city pays farm hands the most?
Hurdsfield, ND, offers the highest average salary for farm hands at $40,212 per year.
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What is the worst state for farm hands?
The lowest-paying state for farm hands is Wyoming, with an average salary of $20,091 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
