Farm hand demographics and statistics in the US
Farm hand demographics research summary. Zippia estimates farm hand demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our farm hand estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about farm hands after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 22,793 farm hands currently employed in the United States.
- 22.3% of all farm hands are women, while 77.7% are men.
- The average farm hand age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of farm hands is White (70.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.0%), Black or African American (3.4%) and Unknown (3.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 3% of all farm hands are LGBT.
- Farm hands are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Farm hand demographics by:
Farm hand gender statistics
22.3% of farm hands are women and 77.7% of farm hands are men.
- Male, 77.7%
- Female, 22.3%
Farm hand gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.7% |
| Female | 22.3% |
Farm hand gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,571
Female income
$25,925
Farm hand gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in farm hand positions over time. Currently, 22.3% of farm hands are female.
Farm hand gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.65% | 17.35% |
| 2011 | 83.94% | 16.06% |
| 2012 | 83.57% | 16.43% |
| 2013 | 82.54% | 17.46% |
| 2014 | 80.71% | 19.29% |
| 2015 | 80.05% | 19.95% |
| 2016 | 80.07% | 19.93% |
| 2017 | 79.21% | 20.79% |
| 2018 | 77.70% | 22.30% |
| 2019 | 78.97% | 21.03% |
| 2020 | 80.08% | 19.92% |
| 2021 | 77.73% | 22.27% |
Farm hand related jobs gender ratio
We compared farm hands with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, ditch rider and custom harvester have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Groom | 19% | 81% |
| Stable Hand | 20% | 80% |
| Nursery Worker | 22% | 78% |
| Farm Hand | 78% | 22% |
| Hay Baler | 94% | 6% |
| Custom Harvester | 96% | 4% |
| Ditch Rider | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Farm hand demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among farm hands is White, which makes up 70.8% of all farm hands. Comparatively, 20.0% of farm hands are Hispanic or Latino and 3.4% of farm hands are Black or African American.
- White, 70.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.0%
- Black or African American, 3.4%
- Unknown, 3.0%
- Asian, 1.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Farm hand race
| Farm hand race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.0% |
| Black or African American | 3.4% |
| Unknown | 3.0% |
| Asian | 1.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Farm hand race and ethnicity over time
See how farm hand racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Farm hand race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.11% | 4.05% | 1.21% | 21.90% |
| 2011 | 71.67% | 4.49% | 1.16% | 20.78% |
| 2012 | 71.27% | 4.56% | 1.17% | 20.80% |
| 2013 | 71.01% | 4.28% | 1.17% | 21.25% |
| 2014 | 72.26% | 3.86% | 1.25% | 20.40% |
| 2015 | 74.07% | 3.95% | 1.38% | 18.37% |
| 2016 | 73.58% | 3.48% | 1.25% | 19.65% |
| 2017 | 75.71% | 3.10% | 1.25% | 17.77% |
| 2018 | 76.52% | 3.50% | 1.20% | 16.47% |
| 2019 | 75.51% | 3.27% | 1.16% | 17.73% |
| 2020 | 77.44% | 3.40% | 1.29% | 13.35% |
| 2021 | 70.75% | 3.45% | 1.70% | 20.04% |
Farm hand wage gap by race
According to our data, white farm hands have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino farm hands have the lowest average salary at $27,143.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,457 |
| White | $28,278 |
| Black or African American | $27,602 |
| Asian | $27,387 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,143 |
Average farm hand age
See how the average age of farm hands varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Farm hand age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 51 | 44.5 |
| Unknown | 36 | 37 |
| Asian | 40.5 | 53 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 40 |
| White | 37 | 37 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36.5 |
Farm hand age breakdown
The average age of farm hands is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the farm hand population.
Farm hand age breakdown
| Farm Hand Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Farm hand educational attainment
The most common degree for farm hands is bachelor's degree, with 39% of farm hands earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 31% and high school diploma degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 39%
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Farm hands by degree level
| Farm hand degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 39% |
| High School Diploma | 31% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Farm hand jobs you might like
Farm hand wage gap by degree level
According to the data, farm hands with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $27,985 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, farm hands earn a median annual income of $27,920 compared to $27,004 for farm hands with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $27,004 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,920 |
| No Education | $26,513 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,985 |
Farm hand employment statistics
Most farm hands work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where farm hands work
Below, you can see the size of companies where farm hands work.
Farm hand jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Farm hand jobs by company type
Employees with the farm hand job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most farm hands prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Farm hand jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 3% |
Farm hand jobs by industry
The most common industries for farm hands are manufacturing, professional and agriculture.
Farm hand industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 15% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Agriculture | 11% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Farm hand turnover and employment statistics
Farm hand unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for farm hands between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Farm hand unemployment rate by year
| Year | Farm hand unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.65% |
| 2011 | 13.95% |
| 2012 | 14.17% |
| 2013 | 12.64% |
| 2014 | 10.53% |
| 2015 | 9.52% |
| 2016 | 8.71% |
| 2017 | 7.84% |
| 2018 | 8.05% |
| 2019 | 6.81% |
| 2020 | 8.39% |
| 2021 | 8.02% |
Average farm hand tenure
The average farm hand stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 30,712 farm hands resumes in Zippia's database.
Farm hand tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Foreign languages spoken by farm hands
The most common foreign language among farm hands is Spanish at 57.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.3% and German is the third-most popular at 4.7%.
- Spanish, 57.3%
- French, 11.3%
- German, 4.7%
- Dakota, 4.0%
- Chinese, 3.0%
- Other, 19.7%
Farm hand languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 57.3% |
| French | 11.3% |
| German | 4.7% |
| Dakota | 4.0% |
| Chinese | 3.0% |
| Other | 19.7% |
