Best-Paying Jobs in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (May 2025 BLS Wage Data)
- The median wage across all jobs in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting was $36,740 in May 2025, below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
- The sector employed about 413,350 wage and salary workers.
- Its best-paid large occupation was general and operations managers, at a median of $83,850.
Pay depends on what you do and on who you do it for. This breakdown uses the BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025 (NAICS sector 11: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting) to show which jobs pay best in agriculture, forestry and fishing, which jobs are open to people without a four-year degree, and what the most common jobs pay. Education levels come from BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Highest-paying jobs in the sector
Occupations with at least 5,000 jobs in the sector, ranked by median annual wage. The last column is the median for the same job across all industries (from the national cross-industry estimates).
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | All-industry median |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $83,850 | 5,660 | $105,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $56,820 | 15,210 | $59,320 |
| Logging Equipment Operators | $50,840 | 16,680 | $49,740 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,010 | 14,930 | $58,640 |
| Office Clerks, General | $42,340 | 6,690 | $45,010 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $39,140 | 7,060 | $46,420 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | $37,650 | 14,820 | $41,730 |
| Animal Caretakers | $35,950 | 5,870 | $35,360 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $35,710 | 9,710 | $40,240 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | $35,710 | 12,770 | $36,670 |
Best-paying jobs here without a bachelor’s degree
Occupations where BLS lists a high school diploma, certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as typical for entry:
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $56,820 | 15,210 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Logging Equipment Operators | $50,840 | 16,680 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,010 | 14,930 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Office Clerks, General | $42,340 | 6,690 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $39,140 | 7,060 | No formal educational credential |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | $37,650 | 14,820 | No formal educational credential |
| Animal Caretakers | $35,950 | 5,870 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $35,710 | 9,710 | No formal educational credential |
The most common jobs in the sector
| Occupation | Median | Jobs | Share of sector jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,260 | 196,100 | 47.44% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $35,170 | 17,920 | 4.33% |
| Logging Equipment Operators | $50,840 | 16,680 | 4.03% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $56,820 | 15,210 | 3.68% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,010 | 14,930 | 3.61% |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | $37,650 | 14,820 | 3.58% |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | $35,710 | 12,770 | 3.09% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $35,710 | 9,710 | 2.35% |
What this means for your pay
- Same job, different industry, different pay. Compare the sector median with the all-industry median for your job. If your sector pays below the national figure, the same skills may earn more elsewhere.
- Medians, not starting pay. Half of workers earn more than the median and half less; new hires usually start lower.
- Base wages only. OEWS excludes overtime, tips and most bonuses, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice.
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
For contrast, from the same survey: the lowest-paid occupation in this sector with at least 20,000 jobs was farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, at a median of $35,260 ($16.95 an hour) across 196,100 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025.
— JobPayRaise Data Desk