Best states for a harvest worker

Q: What is the best state for harvest workers?

The best state to be a harvest worker is South Dakota based on harvest worker salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for harvest workers?

The highest paying state for harvest workers is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for harvest workers?

The worst state for harvest workers is Arkansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for harvest workers in the United States. Harvest worker positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for harvest workers.In fact, our research shows that South Dakota is the best state for harvest workers in America. The best city in America for harvest workers with the highest pay is Salinas, CA.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for harvest workers. South Dakota is the best state for harvest workers, where the median salary is $35,009.South Dakota is the best state, and Minot is the city with the highest pay for harvest workers.

10 best states for harvest workers in 2025

1. South Dakota
Total harvest worker jobs: 163
Average annual salary: $35,009
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
2.14
Harvest worker jobs in South Dakota
2. Utah
Total harvest worker jobs: 407
Average annual salary: $34,901
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.79
Harvest worker jobs in Utah
3. Oregon
Total harvest worker jobs: 540
Average annual salary: $35,642
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.83
Harvest worker jobs in Oregon
4. Maine
Total harvest worker jobs: 28
Average annual salary: $34,287
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.3
Harvest worker jobs in Maine
5. Pennsylvania
Total harvest worker jobs: 187
Average annual salary: $33,812
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.23
Harvest worker jobs in Pennsylvania
6. Iowa
Total harvest worker jobs: 64
Average annual salary: $33,668
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.25
Harvest worker jobs in Iowa
7. Wisconsin
Total harvest worker jobs: 114
Average annual salary: $33,464
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.29
Harvest worker jobs in Wisconsin
8. Connecticut
Total harvest worker jobs: 378
Average annual salary: $33,475
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
1.6
Harvest worker jobs in Connecticut
9. North Dakota
Total harvest worker jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $36,521
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.02
Harvest worker jobs in North Dakota
10. Nebraska
Total harvest worker jobs: 304
Average annual salary: $31,098
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
1.92
Harvest worker jobs in Nebraska

Harvest worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a harvest worker

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a harvest worker

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	South Dakota	$35,009	$29,000	869,666	163
2	Utah	$34,901	$29,000	3,101,833	407
3	Oregon	$35,642	$29,000	4,142,776	540
4	Maine	$34,287	$30,000	1,335,907	28
5	Pennsylvania	$33,812	$29,000	12,805,537	187
6	Iowa	$33,668	$28,000	3,145,711	64
7	Wisconsin	$33,464	$28,000	5,795,483	114
8	Connecticut	$33,475	$29,000	3,588,184	378
9	North Dakota	$36,521	$31,000	755,393	1
10	Nebraska	$31,098	$26,000	1,920,076	304
11	Washington	$32,425	$26,000	7,405,743	962
12	Montana	$34,122	$28,000	1,050,493	13
13	Wyoming	$34,623	$28,000	579,315	0
14	California	$33,213	$27,000	39,536,653	3,473
15	Ohio	$32,118	$27,000	11,658,609	145
16	Indiana	$31,687	$27,000	6,666,818	102
17	Vermont	$31,937	$27,000	623,657	17
18	Colorado	$31,849	$26,000	5,607,154	636
19	Missouri	$29,560	$25,000	6,113,532	781
20	Idaho	$30,522	$25,000	1,716,943	177
21	Illinois	$31,606	$26,000	12,802,023	174
22	Kansas	$29,917	$25,000	2,913,123	44
23	West Virginia	$30,888	$26,000	1,815,857	2
24	New Mexico	$28,349	$23,000	2,088,070	239
25	Michigan	$29,447	$25,000	9,962,311	87
26	New Hampshire	$26,677	$23,000	1,342,795	235
27	Arizona	$30,210	$25,000	7,016,270	16
28	Alaska	$30,950	$27,000	739,795	0
29	Hawaii	$32,450	$28,000	1,427,538	0
30	Massachusetts	$30,944	$26,000	6,859,819	27
31	Minnesota	$28,946	$24,000	5,576,606	119
32	Tennessee	$24,287	$21,000	6,715,984	835
33	Alabama	$26,221	$23,000	4,874,747	486
34	Nevada	$28,659	$23,000	2,998,039	14
35	Texas	$25,816	$22,000	28,304,596	2,351
36	New York	$29,948	$25,000	19,849,399	59
37	Louisiana	$23,190	$20,000	4,684,333	442
38	North Carolina	$24,063	$21,000	10,273,419	1,162
39	Maryland	$28,267	$24,000	6,052,177	51
40	Kentucky	$25,247	$21,000	4,454,189	48
41	Oklahoma	$23,729	$20,000	3,930,864	337
42	District of Columbia	$26,459	$22,000	693,972	96
43	South Carolina	$22,507	$19,000	5,024,369	598
44	New Jersey	$27,343	$23,000	9,005,644	36
45	Florida	$22,211	$20,000	20,984,400	2,005
46	Delaware	$24,281	$20,000	961,939	105
47	Virginia	$23,536	$20,000	8,470,020	1,038
48	Rhode Island	$25,610	$22,000	1,059,639	5
49	Georgia	$21,869	$19,000	10,429,379	1,210
50	Mississippi	$22,160	$19,000	2,984,100	15
51	Arkansas	$21,322	$18,000	3,004,279	14

Highest paying states for harvest workers

Rank	State	Avg. Harvest Worker Salary
1	South Dakota	$35,009
2	Utah	$34,901
3	Oregon	$35,642
4	Maine	$34,287
5	Pennsylvania	$33,812
6	Iowa	$33,668
7	Wisconsin	$33,464
8	Connecticut	$33,475
9	North Dakota	$36,521
10	Nebraska	$31,098
11	Washington	$32,425
12	Montana	$34,122
13	Wyoming	$34,623
14	California	$33,213
15	Ohio	$32,118
16	Indiana	$31,687
17	Vermont	$31,937
18	Colorado	$31,849
19	Missouri	$29,560
20	Idaho	$30,522
21	Illinois	$31,606
22	Kansas	$29,917
23	West Virginia	$30,888
24	New Mexico	$28,349
25	Michigan	$29,447
26	New Hampshire	$26,677
27	Arizona	$30,210
28	Alaska	$30,950
29	Hawaii	$32,450
30	Massachusetts	$30,944
31	Minnesota	$28,946
32	Tennessee	$24,287
33	Alabama	$26,221
34	Nevada	$28,659
35	Texas	$25,816
36	New York	$29,948
37	Louisiana	$23,190
38	North Carolina	$24,063
39	Maryland	$28,267
40	Kentucky	$25,247
41	Oklahoma	$23,729
42	District of Columbia	$26,459
43	South Carolina	$22,507
44	New Jersey	$27,343
45	Florida	$22,211
46	Delaware	$24,281
47	Virginia	$23,536
48	Rhode Island	$25,610
49	Georgia	$21,869
50	Mississippi	$22,160
51	Arkansas	$21,322

Harvest worker best states FAQs

What is the best state for harvest workers?

What is the highest paying state for harvest workers?

What is the worst state for harvest workers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common farming, fishing, and forestry questions.

Search for harvest worker jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse farming, fishing, and forestry jobs

Total harvest worker jobs:	163
Average annual salary:	$35,009
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$41,000
Location Quotient:	2.14

Best states for a harvest worker

10 best states for harvest workers in 2025

1. South Dakota

2. Utah

3. Oregon

4. Maine

5. Pennsylvania

6. Iowa

7. Wisconsin

8. Connecticut

9. North Dakota

10. Nebraska