Farm labour demographics and statistics in the US
Farm labour demographics research summary. Zippia estimates farm labour demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our farm labour 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 labours after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 17,696 farm labours currently employed in the United States.
- 19.5% of all farm labours are women, while 80.5% are men.
- The average farm labour age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of farm labours is White (66.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (24.0%), Black or African American (3.9%) and Unknown (3.0%).
- Farm labours are most in-demand in California, MO.
- Yakima, WA pays an annual average wage of $31,345, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women farm labours earned 94% of what men earned.
- North Dakota is the best state for farm labours to live.
- Farm labours are 86% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Farm labour demographics by:
Farm labour gender statistics
19.5% of farm labours are women and 80.5% of farm labours are men.
- Male, 80.5%
- Female, 19.5%
Farm labour gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.5% |
| Female | 19.5% |
Farm labour gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,719
Female income
$26,036
Farm labour gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in farm labour positions over time. Currently, 19.5% of farm labours are female.
Farm labour gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.92% | 15.08% |
| 2011 | 86.07% | 13.93% |
| 2012 | 85.74% | 14.26% |
| 2013 | 84.82% | 15.18% |
| 2014 | 83.18% | 16.82% |
| 2015 | 82.58% | 17.42% |
| 2016 | 82.60% | 17.40% |
| 2017 | 81.83% | 18.17% |
| 2018 | 80.46% | 19.54% |
| 2019 | 81.62% | 18.38% |
| 2020 | 82.61% | 17.39% |
| 2021 | 80.49% | 19.51% |
Farm labour related jobs gender ratio
We compared farm labours 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 Labour | 80% | 20% |
| 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 labour demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among farm labours is White, which makes up 66.1% of all farm labours. Comparatively, 24.0% of farm labours are Hispanic or Latino and 3.9% of farm labours are Black or African American.
- White, 66.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 24.0%
- Black or African American, 3.9%
- Unknown, 3.0%
- Asian, 1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Farm labour race
| Farm labour race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.0% |
| Black or African American | 3.9% |
| Unknown | 3.0% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Farm labour race and ethnicity over time
See how farm labour racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Farm labour race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.49% | 4.55% | 1.27% | 25.86% |
| 2011 | 67.05% | 4.99% | 1.22% | 24.73% |
| 2012 | 66.65% | 5.06% | 1.24% | 24.76% |
| 2013 | 66.39% | 4.78% | 1.23% | 25.20% |
| 2014 | 67.64% | 4.36% | 1.31% | 24.35% |
| 2015 | 69.45% | 4.45% | 1.44% | 22.32% |
| 2016 | 68.96% | 3.98% | 1.31% | 23.60% |
| 2017 | 71.10% | 3.61% | 1.31% | 21.72% |
| 2018 | 71.90% | 4.01% | 1.26% | 20.42% |
| 2019 | 70.89% | 3.77% | 1.22% | 21.68% |
| 2020 | 72.82% | 3.90% | 1.36% | 17.31% |
| 2021 | 66.14% | 3.95% | 1.77% | 23.99% |
Farm labour wage gap by race
According to our data, white farm labours have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino farm labours have the lowest average salary at $27,281.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,602 |
| White | $28,443 |
| Black or African American | $27,751 |
| Asian | $27,531 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,281 |
Average farm labour age
See how the average age of farm labours varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Farm labour 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 labour age breakdown
The average age of farm labours is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the farm labour population.
Farm labour age breakdown
| Farm Labour Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Farm labour educational attainment
The most common degree for farm labours is high school diploma, with 34% of farm labours earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 34% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 34%
- Bachelor's, 34%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Farm labours by degree level
| Farm labour degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 34% |
| Bachelor's | 34% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Farm labour jobs you might like
Farm labour wage gap by degree level
According to the data, farm labours with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $28,143 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, farm labours earn a median annual income of $28,076 compared to $27,139 for farm labours with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $27,139 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,076 |
| No Education | $26,637 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,143 |
Farm labour employment statistics
Most farm labours work for a private in the agriculture industry.
Company size where farm labours work
Below, you can see the size of companies where farm labours work.
Farm labour jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Farm labour jobs by company type
Employees with the farm labour job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most farm labours prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Farm labour jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 86% |
Farm labour jobs by industry
The most common industries for farm labours are agriculture, manufacturing and professional.
Farm labour industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | 23% |
| Manufacturing | 22% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Media | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Farm labour turnover and employment statistics
Farm labour unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for farm labours between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Farm labour unemployment rate by year
| Year | Farm labour 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 labour tenure
The average farm labour stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,133 farm labours resumes in Zippia's database.
Farm labour tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 23% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
Foreign languages spoken by farm labours
The most common foreign language among farm labours is Spanish at 82.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 2.9% and German is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 82.7%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- German, 2.9%
- French, 2.2%
- Dakota, 1.4%
- Other, 7.9%
Farm labour languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 82.7% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| German | 2.9% |
| French | 2.2% |
| Dakota | 1.4% |
| Other | 7.9% |
