How to become a farmworkers and laborer, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

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.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

What farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse do

• Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
• Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
• Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
• Identify plants, pests, and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers.
• Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
• Load agricultural products into trucks, and drive trucks to market or storage facilities.

Skills that matter most

• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies

Is farmworkers and laborer, crop, nursery, and greenhouse a good career?

On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 30% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Wyoming $55,180
• South Dakota $42,260
• Montana $41,390
• Illinois $41,050
• New York $40,930

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.