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Job outlook for pickers in the United States
Picker job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected picker job growth rate is 1% from 2018-2028.
About 46,900 new jobs for pickers are projected over the next decade.
Picker salaries have increased 38% for pickers in the last 5 years.
There are over 274,082 pickers currently employed in the United States.
There are 177,748 active picker job openings in the US.
The average picker salary is $30,779.
Are picker jobs in demand?
Yes, picker jobs are in demand. Picker demand is projected to grow 1% from 2018 to 2028.
Picker job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of picker jobs and the average picker salary over time.
Picker jobs over time
Picker job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 274,082 | 0.08% |
| 2020 | 258,898 | 0.08% |
| 2019 | 597,836 | 0.18% |
| 2018 | 298,648 | 0.09% |
| 2017 | 308,447 | 0.09% |
Average picker salary over time
Picker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,779 | $14.80 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $30,151 | $14.50 | +25.5% |
| 2024 | $24,034 | $11.55 | +5.0% |
| 2023 | $22,884 | $11.00 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $22,295 | $10.72 | +2.7% |
Picker jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of picker job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where pickers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for pickers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 801 | 9% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 478 | 4% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 129 | 4% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 40 | 4% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 202 | 3% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 199 | 3% |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 170 | 3% |
| 8 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 201 | 2% |
| 9 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 173 | 2% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 122 | 2% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 122 | 2% |
| 12 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 112 | 2% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 107 | 2% |
| 14 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 106 | 2% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 61 | 2% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 18 | 2% |
| 17 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 36 | 1% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 17 | 1% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 16 | 1% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 13 | 1% |
Most common cities for pickers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cicero | 10 | 32% | $29,949 |
| 2 | Buckeye | 11 | 22% | $30,590 |
| 3 | Clay | 11 | 19% | $29,939 |
| 4 | Syracuse | 20 | 14% | $29,881 |
| 5 | Glendale | 26 | 11% | $30,512 |
| 6 | Surprise | 11 | 8% | $30,573 |
| 7 | Peoria | 11 | 7% | $30,554 |
| 8 | Indianapolis | 15 | 2% | $27,676 |
| 9 | Phoenix | 18 | 1% | $30,496 |