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Farm hand vs ranch hand

The differences between farm hands and ranch hands can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a ranch hand has an average salary of $27,569, which is higher than the $26,594 average annual salary of a farm hand.

The top three skills for a farm hand include drive tractor, beef cattle and milking. The most important skills for a ranch hand are harvest, farm work, and farm machinery.

Farm hand vs ranch hand overview

Farm HandRanch Hand
Yearly salary$26,594$27,569
Hourly rate$12.79$13.25
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs9,8904,309
Job satisfaction51
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

What does a farm hand do?

A Farm Hand is responsible for assisting Farmers in their daily tasks of taking care of the farm, raising the animals, and growing crops. Most of the duties involved require good communication skills, active listening, knowledge of farming, and determination to accomplish tasks as they can be tiring due to the involvement of physical work. The working conditions are diverse, and the tasks of a Farm Hand will vary through the seasons and situations, it can be unpredictable and will require a great deal of effort and passion.

What does a ranch hand do?

A ranch hand is a person who takes care of livestock animals in a ranch. Ranch hands perform the ranch husbandry job, which involves keeping them healthy, feeding them, and overseeing breeding. The primary duty they serve is to assist in the day-to-day operations in the ranch. They prepare livestock animals for slaughter or sale. They must have experience in cattle handling and/or animal husbandry. They should also be adaptable, enthusiastic, and know ranch equipment and maintenance.

Farm hand vs ranch hand salary

Farm hands and ranch hands have different pay scales, as shown below.

Farm HandRanch Hand
Average salary$26,594$27,569
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $33,000Between $21,000 And $34,000
Highest paying CityHurdsfield, NDPetersburg, ND
Highest paying stateNorth DakotaNorth Dakota
Best paying companyTyson FoodsWilliams International
Best paying industryHospitalityHealth Care

Differences between farm hand and ranch hand education

There are a few differences between a farm hand and a ranch hand in terms of educational background:

Farm HandRanch Hand
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Farm hand vs ranch hand demographics

Here are the differences between farm hands' and ranch hands' demographics:

Farm HandRanch Hand
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 77.7% Female, 22.3%Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 1.7% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 26.8% Asian, 1.8% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between farm hand and ranch hand duties and responsibilities

Farm hand example responsibilities.

  • Manage and conduct the baling, hauling, advertising, and selling of 2000 straw square bales a year from 2002-2006.
  • Root rakes, bush-hogs, heiress disc plow, seeder, sub-soiler, ect . )
  • Position also consist of property maintenance and repairs to include fencing, lawn care, and bobcat operations.
  • Muck stalls, fed hayed, and water horses, clean water buckets, and blow out the barn
  • Field work to include mowing, baling, and transportation of straw, hay, corn, beans, and silage.
  • Water rice, tractor driver, big truck driver (no CDL )
  • Show more

Ranch hand example responsibilities.

  • Manage habitat, predators, whitetail and several species of exotic animals.
  • Assist with lessons and summer camps which include helping riders groom, tack up and mount.
  • Relocate wheel line sprinklers used to irrigate crops.
  • Halter training fillies and colts, handling mares, studs and foals
  • Operate a backhoe to dig dirt and move large oil field equipment.
  • Clean livestock stalls and sheds using disinfectant solutions, brushes, and shovels.
  • Show more

Farm hand vs ranch hand skills

Common farm hand skills
  • Drive Tractor, 17%
  • Beef Cattle, 13%
  • Milking, 11%
  • Mowing, 7%
  • Farm Work, 5%
  • Farm Machinery, 5%
Common ranch hand skills
  • Harvest, 15%
  • Farm Work, 12%
  • Farm Machinery, 9%
  • Physical Characteristics, 7%
  • Cattle Ranch, 6%
  • Farm Animals, 4%

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