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Best states for an apple picker
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like apple pickers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for apple pickers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for apple pickers -- where there are plenty of apple picker jobs to go around and apple pickers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for apple pickers.North Dakota is the best state, and Grand Forks is the city with the highest pay for apple pickers.
10 best states for apple pickers in 2026
1. North Dakota
Total apple picker jobs: 18 Average annual salary: $36,398 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
2. Minnesota
Total apple picker jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $33,507 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. Pennsylvania
Total apple picker jobs: 491 Average annual salary: $28,942 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 2.77
4. Iowa
Total apple picker jobs: 124 Average annual salary: $28,867 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 2.24
5. Massachusetts
Total apple picker jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $30,098 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.44
6. Wisconsin
Total apple picker jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $28,501 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.97
7. Maine
Total apple picker jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $34,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.05
8. South Dakota
Total apple picker jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $32,774 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0
9. Vermont
Total apple picker jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $32,489 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.09
10. Connecticut
Total apple picker jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $33,171 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.12
Apple picker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an apple picker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an apple picker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $36,398 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 18 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $33,507 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 109 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $28,942 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 491 |
| 4 | Iowa | $28,867 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 124 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $30,098 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 202 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $28,501 | $22,000 | 5,795,483 | 166 |
| 7 | Maine | $34,789 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 1 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $32,774 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 9 | Vermont | $32,489 | $26,000 | 623,657 | 1 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $33,171 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 6 |
| 11 | Alaska | $35,574 | $22,000 | 739,795 | 0 |
| 12 | Michigan | $27,263 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 175 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $28,243 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 799 |
| 14 | Montana | $30,506 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 0 |
| 15 | Utah | $29,109 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 14 |
| 16 | Ohio | $27,534 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 111 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $29,700 | $23,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $29,810 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 0 |
| 19 | Arizona | $27,161 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 120 |
| 20 | Kansas | $27,325 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 53 |
| 21 | Illinois | $27,918 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 189 |
| 22 | Nevada | $26,392 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 49 |
| 23 | Indiana | $25,447 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 194 |
| 24 | Oregon | $29,013 | $20,000 | 4,142,776 | 7 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $25,695 | $19,000 | 1,059,639 | 44 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $26,931 | $21,000 | 1,342,795 | 11 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $31,144 | $24,000 | 1,427,538 | 1 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $24,638 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 134 |
| 29 | New York | $27,046 | $20,000 | 19,849,399 | 115 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $24,811 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 103 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $26,216 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 6 |
| 32 | Colorado | $26,802 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 19 |
| 33 | Maryland | $26,079 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 122 |
| 34 | Washington | $27,618 | $19,000 | 7,405,743 | 19 |
| 35 | Missouri | $25,454 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 44 |
| 36 | Idaho | $25,251 | $19,000 | 1,716,943 | 16 |
| 37 | California | $26,542 | $19,000 | 39,536,653 | 306 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $25,658 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 0 |
| 39 | Texas | $23,331 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 122 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $21,975 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 29 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $25,859 | $20,000 | 693,972 | 0 |
| 42 | Virginia | $23,190 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 109 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $23,133 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 4 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $22,417 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 36 |
| 45 | Delaware | $23,491 | $17,000 | 961,939 | 5 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $22,272 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 8 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $22,393 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 14 |
| 48 | Florida | $22,420 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 90 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $20,523 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 25 |
| 50 | Alabama | $21,498 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 17 |
| 51 | Georgia | $20,280 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 119 |
Highest paying states for apple pickers
| Rank | State | Avg. Apple Picker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $36,398 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $33,507 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $28,942 |
| 4 | Iowa | $28,867 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $30,098 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $28,501 |
| 7 | Maine | $34,789 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $32,774 |
| 9 | Vermont | $32,489 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $33,171 |
| 11 | Alaska | $35,574 |
| 12 | Michigan | $27,263 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $28,243 |
| 14 | Montana | $30,506 |
| 15 | Utah | $29,109 |
| 16 | Ohio | $27,534 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $29,700 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $29,810 |
| 19 | Arizona | $27,161 |
| 20 | Kansas | $27,325 |
| 21 | Illinois | $27,918 |
| 22 | Nevada | $26,392 |
| 23 | Indiana | $25,447 |
| 24 | Oregon | $29,013 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $25,695 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $26,931 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $31,144 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $24,638 |
| 29 | New York | $27,046 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $24,811 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $26,216 |
| 32 | Colorado | $26,802 |
| 33 | Maryland | $26,079 |
| 34 | Washington | $27,618 |
| 35 | Missouri | $25,454 |
| 36 | Idaho | $25,251 |
| 37 | California | $26,542 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $25,658 |
| 39 | Texas | $23,331 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $21,975 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $25,859 |
| 42 | Virginia | $23,190 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $23,133 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $22,417 |
| 45 | Delaware | $23,491 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $22,272 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $22,393 |
| 48 | Florida | $22,420 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $20,523 |
| 50 | Alabama | $21,498 |
| 51 | Georgia | $20,280 |
Apple picker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025