Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for farm workers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed farm worker 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.
Farm Worker Statistics By Gender
27.4% of farm workers are women and 72.6% of farm workers are men.
- Male, 72.6%
- Female, 27.4%
Farm Workers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.6% |
| Female | 27.4% |
Gender Pay Gap For Farm Worker
Women Earn 94¢ For Every $1 Earned By Men
Farm Worker Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the farm worker position over time.
Farm Worker Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, ditch rider and custom harvester have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Farm Worker Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among farm workers is White, which makes up 64.7% of all farm workers. Comparatively, there are 25.2% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 4.1% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among farm workers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Farm Worker Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,463 |
| White | $28,287 |
| Black or African American | $27,608 |
| Asian | $27,393 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,148 |
Average Age of a Farm Worker
We determined the average age of farm workers based on ethnicity and gender.
Farm Worker Age By Race
| 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
This chart breaks down the ages of farm worker employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of farm workers is 40+ years old, which represents 50% of the population.
Farm Worker Age
| Farm Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Types of Farm Worker Degree Levels
The most common degree for farm workers is bachelor's degree 36% of farm workers earn that degree. A close second is high school diploma with 34% and rounding it off is associate degree with 16%.
- Bachelors, 36%
- High School Diploma, 34%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Farm Workers By Education
| Farm Worker Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 36% |
| High School Diploma | 34% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Farm Worker Jobs You Might Like
Farm Worker Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $27,009 |
| No Education | $26,516 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,928 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,993 |
Farm Worker Employment Statistics
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire farm workers.
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% |
Top Industries Hiring Farm Workers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ farm workers. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of farm workers changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Farm Worker Stay in a Job
By looking over 5,934 farm workers resumes, we figured out that the average farm worker enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 32%.
Farm Worker Tenure
| Number or 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% |
