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Farm operator salary
Average farm operator salary
$14.59
Understanding Farm Operator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Farm Operator in the United States stands at approximately $30,339 per year, translating to about $15 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on location, experience, and the specific agriculture sector.
Factors Affecting Salary
Farm Operators in states like California and Texas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for agricultural products. Additionally, those with specialized skills or experience in management positions can command higher salaries. It's essential to evaluate job listings by region to identify lucrative opportunities.
Career Advancement
For those looking to enhance their earning potential, gaining certifications or specializing in areas such as crop management or livestock handling can open doors to higher-paying roles. Understanding market trends and networking within the agricultural community can also lead to better job prospects.
Explore various resources on Zippia to find detailed salary estimates and job postings tailored to your career goals in farming.
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Where can a Farm Operator earn more?
Farm operator salary estimates from across the web
Average farm operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for farm operators are Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New York. The lowest average farm operator salary states are Florida, Alabama, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for farm operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $41,475 | $19.94 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $40,285 | $19.37 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $32,903 | $15.82 |
| 4 | New York | $39,143 | $18.82 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $32,214 | $15.49 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $38,726 | $18.62 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $31,276 | $15.04 |
| 8 | Michigan | $37,593 | $18.07 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $31,909 | $15.34 |
| 10 | Maine | $36,720 | $17.65 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $32,265 | $15.51 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $31,816 | $15.30 |
| 13 | Missouri | $30,779 | $14.80 |
| 14 | Alaska | $29,968 | $14.41 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $28,554 | $13.73 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $29,322 | $14.10 |
| 17 | Utah | $29,248 | $14.06 |
| 18 | Iowa | $27,634 | $13.29 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $29,633 | $14.25 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $30,048 | $14.45 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $31,177 | $14.99 |
| 22 | Vermont | $31,339 | $15.07 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $29,759 | $14.31 |
| 24 | Ohio | $28,515 | $13.71 |
| 25 | Georgia | $29,243 | $14.06 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $27,007 | $12.98 |
| 27 | Illinois | $28,336 | $13.62 |
| 28 | Idaho | $26,303 | $12.65 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $28,977 | $13.93 |
| 30 | Montana | $25,766 | $12.39 |
| 31 | Washington | $27,269 | $13.11 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,303 | $12.65 |
| 33 | Kansas | $26,268 | $12.63 |
| 34 | Arizona | $25,150 | $12.09 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $26,871 | $12.92 |
| 36 | Virginia | $28,184 | $13.55 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $24,991 | $12.01 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $25,843 | $12.42 |
| 39 | California | $28,645 | $13.77 |
| 40 | Oregon | $24,803 | $11.92 |
| 41 | Colorado | $24,660 | $11.86 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $25,082 | $12.06 |
| 43 | Delaware | $26,848 | $12.91 |
| 44 | Nevada | $23,925 | $11.50 |
| 45 | Florida | $23,217 | $11.16 |
| 46 | Maryland | $25,791 | $12.40 |
| 47 | Alabama | $22,968 | $11.04 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $22,821 | $10.97 |
| 49 | Texas | $22,128 | $10.64 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $20,368 | $9.79 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $17,938 | $8.62 |
Highest paying cities for farm operators
The highest-paying cities for farm operators are New York, NY, Cleveland, OH, and Milwaukee, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $38,932 | $18.72 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $31,137 | $14.97 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $29,443 | $14.16 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $29,343 | $14.11 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $29,124 | $14.00 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $28,783 | $13.84 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $28,557 | $13.73 |
| 8 | Tulsa, OK | $27,005 | $12.98 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $26,146 | $12.57 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $25,929 | $12.47 |
| 11 | Tucson, AZ | $25,119 | $12.08 |
| 12 | Fort Collins, CO | $24,656 | $11.85 |
| 13 | Sanford, FL | $23,238 | $11.17 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $22,896 | $11.01 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $22,090 | $10.62 |
| 16 | Kenner, LA | $17,891 | $8.60 |
Farm operator salary details
A farm operator's salary ranges from $16,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $54,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a farm operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $30,339 | $2,528 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $16,000 | $1,333 | $8 |
Highest paying farm operator jobs
The highest paying types of farm operators are fertilizer applicator, building equipment operator, and chopper operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Labour | $26,720 | $2,227 | $12.85 | 25,319 |
| Farm Worker | $26,598 | $2,217 | $12.79 | 25,368 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
Top companies hiring farm operators now:
Which companies pay farm operators the most?
Farm operator salaries at Boehringer Ingelheim and Anheuser-Busch are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average farm operator salary at companies like Smithfield Foods and Menzies Aviation are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boehringer Ingelheim | $136,704 | $65.72 |
| 2 | Anheuser-Busch | $43,334 | $20.83 |
| 3 | Smithfield Foods | $31,672 | $15.23 |
| 4 | Menzies Aviation | $31,603 | $15.19 |
| 5 | Sigma | $27,360 | $13.15 |
| 6 | Swissport Holdings Inc | $26,918 | $12.94 |
| 7 | Belflex Staffing Network | $26,782 | $12.88 |
| 8 | GROWMARK | $26,502 | $12.74 |
| 9 | Rbscc | $26,439 | $12.71 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Farm Operator salary by industry
The average farm operator salary varies across industries:
- The average farm operator salary in the finance industry is $30,179, the highest of any industry.
- The average farm operator salary in the finance industry is $29,703.
- Farm operators in the agriculture industry earn an average salary of $26,618, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for farm operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $30,179 | $14.51 |
| 2 | Professional | $29,703 | $14.28 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $27,372 | $13.16 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $27,279 | $13.11 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $27,180 | $13.07 |
| 6 | Transportation | $27,058 | $13.01 |
| 7 | Agriculture | $26,618 | $12.80 |
High paying farm operator jobs
Farm operator salary trends
The average farm operator salary has risen by $6,976 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average farm operator earned $23,363 annually, but today, they earn $30,339 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for farm operators over the last decade.
Compare farm operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average farm operator salary over time
Compare farm operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Farm operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,300 | $14.59 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $29,600 | $14.23 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $28,900 | $13.89 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $27,900 | $13.41 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $26,700 | $12.85 | +3.5% |
Recently added farm operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithfieldfoods | Herdsperson-Farm 85093 | Waverly, VA | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| FSM Group | Fuel Farm Operator (Boston Airport) | Boston, MA | 06/24/2025 | $43,827 |
| Menzies Aviation Careers | BWI Southwest Fuel Farm Operator | Baltimore, MD | 06/22/2025 | $60,189 |
| Menzies Aviation | Fuel Farm Operator (Fuel Facility) | Orlando, FL | 06/21/2025 | $44,871 |
| Menzies Aviation Careers | CLT-Fuel Farm Operator | Charlotte, NC | 06/19/2025 | $50,088 |
| Hormel Foods | Breeder Operator-West Concord East Farm-West Concord, MN-Jennie-O | West Concord, MN | 06/10/2025 | $41,531 |
| Bayer | (Farming Operator) North America Field Support Associate II-Whitestown, IN. or | Whitestown, IN | 06/05/2025 | $56,440 |
| Menzies Aviation Careers | Fuel Farm Operator | Burbank, CA | 06/04/2025 | $62,610 |
| Menzies Aviation | 2Nd Shift Fuel Farm Operator | Milwaukee, WI | 05/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Menzies Aviation Careers | IAH Airport Fuel Farm Operator | Houston, TX | 05/24/2025 | $39,653 |
Farm operator salary FAQs
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