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Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,660 Median per year · $17.15/hr Most earn $32,900–$45,690

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems.
  • Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
  • Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping.
  • Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
  • Dig, rake, and screen soil, filling cold frames and hot beds in preparation for planting.
  • Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.

Job outlook

United States
2% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 72,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Crop production73.0%
  • Self-employed (their own business)8.9%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods3.0%
  • Support activities for agriculture and forestry2.9%
  • Lawn and garden equipment and supplies retailers2.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. You can often start right after high school, and most people learn the work on the job over about 1 to 3 months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most crop and nursery employers ask for, and it's the only schooling this job typically requires.

  2. Farmworker, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

    1-3 months of on-the-job training

    You learn to use hand tools, plant, weed, harvest, and pack crops while working under experienced crew members. Most of the learning happens in the field.

Where it can lead

  1. Agricultural Equipment Operator

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    You move from hand work to running tractors and other farm machines, which takes training on specific equipment and a good record of safe, careful work.

  2. Pesticide Sprayer

    1 to 3 months of experience first

    You take on the job of applying pesticides to vegetation, which involves learning safe handling and following strict application rules.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology or agriculture classesLearning how plants grow, soil health, and pests gives you a head start on the work you'd do every day.
  • Join FFA or a school garden clubClubs like these teach hands-on plant care, teamwork, and responsibility, and they look good on job applications.
  • Get a summer or part-time job at a farm, nursery, or garden centerReal work outdoors teaches you the pace, tools, and safety habits this job requires.
  • Learn basic tool and equipment safetyKnowing how to handle shovels, shears, and small machines safely makes you a more trusted worker from day one.
  • Volunteer at a community garden or food bank farmHarvesting and sorting produce for others builds practical skills and shows employers you're dependable.

In college

  • Take plant science, horticulture, or agronomy coursesThese classes teach crop growth, soil, and pest management, which helps you understand the work and move into supervisory roles later.
  • Work a seasonal job on a farm or in a greenhouseHands-on experience during breaks builds the speed, stamina, and care that employers look for in crop workers.
  • Get pesticide or equipment safety trainingShort safety courses offered by many schools and extension programs make you a stronger candidate for roles like pesticide sprayer or equipment operator.
  • Join a campus sustainability or agriculture clubClubs connect you with farmers, employers, and internship leads while you learn more about the field.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask whether a farm or nursery offers training on tools, equipment, and safety. Those skills are what help you move up.
  • Show up on time, work steadily, and ask questions. Supervisors often give more responsibility to reliable workers who learn fast.
  • Look for summer or seasonal work at a local farm, garden center, or greenhouse to get real experience before you graduate.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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