Farm worker demographics and statistics in the US
Farm worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates farm worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our farm worker 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 workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 17,696 farm workers currently employed in the United States.
- 27.4% of all farm workers are women, while 72.6% are men.
- The average farm worker age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of farm workers is White (64.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (25.2%), Black or African American (4.1%) and Unknown (3.0%).
- Farm workers are most in-demand in Cleveland, GA.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for farm workers.
- 3% of all farm workers are LGBT.
On this page
Farm worker demographics by:
Farm worker gender statistics
27.4% of farm workers are women and 72.6% of farm workers are men.
- Male, 72.6%
- Female, 27.4%
Farm worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.6% |
| Female | 27.4% |
Farm worker gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,577
Female income
$25,927
Farm worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in farm worker positions over time. Currently, 27.4% of farm workers are female.
Farm worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.35% | 21.65% |
| 2011 | 79.88% | 20.12% |
| 2012 | 79.44% | 20.56% |
| 2013 | 78.21% | 21.79% |
| 2014 | 76.07% | 23.93% |
| 2015 | 75.29% | 24.71% |
| 2016 | 75.32% | 24.68% |
| 2017 | 74.32% | 25.68% |
| 2018 | 72.57% | 27.43% |
| 2019 | 74.05% | 25.95% |
| 2020 | 75.33% | 24.67% |
| 2021 | 72.61% | 27.39% |
Farm worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared farm workers 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 Worker | 73% | 27% |
| 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 worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among farm workers is White, which makes up 64.7% of all farm workers. Comparatively, 25.2% of farm workers are Hispanic or Latino and 4.1% of farm workers are Black or African American.
- White, 64.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 25.2%
- Black or African American, 4.1%
- Unknown, 3.0%
- Asian, 1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Farm worker race
| Farm worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 25.2% |
| Black or African American | 4.1% |
| Unknown | 3.0% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Farm worker race and ethnicity over time
See how farm worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Farm worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.09% | 4.71% | 1.29% | 27.05% |
| 2011 | 65.64% | 5.16% | 1.24% | 25.93% |
| 2012 | 65.24% | 5.22% | 1.26% | 25.95% |
| 2013 | 64.98% | 4.94% | 1.25% | 26.40% |
| 2014 | 66.23% | 4.52% | 1.33% | 25.54% |
| 2015 | 68.04% | 4.61% | 1.46% | 23.51% |
| 2016 | 67.55% | 4.15% | 1.33% | 24.80% |
| 2017 | 69.69% | 3.77% | 1.33% | 22.91% |
| 2018 | 70.50% | 4.17% | 1.28% | 21.62% |
| 2019 | 69.48% | 3.93% | 1.24% | 22.88% |
| 2020 | 71.41% | 4.07% | 1.38% | 18.50% |
| 2021 | 64.73% | 4.11% | 1.79% | 25.19% |
Farm worker wage gap by race
According to our data, white farm workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino farm workers have the lowest average salary at $27,148.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,463 |
| White | $28,287 |
| Black or African American | $27,608 |
| Asian | $27,393 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,148 |
Average farm worker age
See how the average age of farm workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Farm worker 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 worker age breakdown
The average age of farm workers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the farm worker population.
Farm worker age breakdown
| Farm Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Farm worker educational attainment
The most common degree for farm workers is bachelor's degree, with 36% of farm workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 34% and high school diploma degree at 16%.
- Bachelor's, 36%
- High School Diploma, 34%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Farm workers by degree level
| Farm worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 36% |
| High School Diploma | 34% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Farm worker jobs you might like
Farm worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, farm workers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $27,993 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, farm workers earn a median annual income of $27,928 compared to $27,009 for farm workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $27,009 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,928 |
| No Education | $26,516 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,993 |
Farm worker employment statistics
Company size where farm workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where farm workers work.
Farm worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 14% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Farm worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for farm workers are agriculture, manufacturing and professional.
Farm worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | 26% |
| Manufacturing | 12% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Finance | 8% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
Farm worker turnover and employment statistics
Farm worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for farm workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Farm worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Farm worker 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 worker tenure
The average farm worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,934 farm workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Farm worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Foreign languages spoken by farm workers
The most common foreign language among farm workers is Spanish at 72.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 6.1% and French is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 72.6%
- German, 6.1%
- French, 5.2%
- Russian, 2.8%
- Chinese, 2.4%
- Other, 10.9%
Farm worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 72.6% |
| German | 6.1% |
| French | 5.2% |
| Russian | 2.8% |
| Chinese | 2.4% |
| Other | 10.9% |
