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Farm labor contractor: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $30,930lowest 10% earn less
- $35,72025th percentile
- $58,460median
- $79,59075th percentile
- $84,050top 10% earn more
A farm labor contractor had a median pay of $58,460 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, but this is a very small occupation[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +7.4%[2]
- Openings per year
- 100[5]
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential[6]
How much do farm labor contractors make?
The median pay was $58,460 a year, or $28.11 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $58,470 a year, or $28.11 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,930, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $84,050[3]. The 25th percentile was $35,720 and the 75th percentile was $79,590, so the middle half of workers were spread widely[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3][9] | $30,930 | $14.87 |
| 25th percentile[3][9] | $35,720 | $17.17 |
| Median[1] | $58,460 | $28.11 |
| 75th percentile[3][9] | $79,590 | $38.27 |
| 90th percentile[3][9] | $84,050 | $40.41 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10].
Pay by state
BLS published state wages for only 3 states[11]. California had the highest median at $85,710, followed by Florida at $79,590 and Minnesota at $50,730[11]. Nationwide, about 310 people were employed in wage and salary jobs in this occupation in May 2025[12].
Show median pay in 3 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California[11] | $85,710 | n/a |
| Florida | $79,590 | n/a |
| Minnesota | $50,730 | n/a |
How to become a farm labor contractor
BLS describes the typical path in three parts[6].
- First: no formal educational credential is needed[6].
- Next: some related work experience, listed as less than 5 years[6].
- Then: short-term on-the-job training[6].
O*NET places this job in a group where some jobs need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[13].
What farm labor contractors do
These workers recruit and hire seasonal or temporary farm laborers. They may also transport, house and feed them[14]. Typical tasks include:
- Paying the wages of the contracted farm workers[15].
- Providing food, drinking water and field sanitation facilities[15].
- Recruiting and hiring agricultural workers[15].
- Supervising the work of contracted employees[15].
- Hiring foremen to recruit, instruct, assign tasks and enforce work rules[15].
- Supplying tools for workers to use[15].
- Directing workers and taking them to the right work sites[15].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,900 to 2,000 jobs, a change of 100[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[16].
BLS projects about 100 openings a year on average[5]. These include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.5% of workers leave the labor force and 4.5% move to a different occupation[17].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show a job with no formal education requirement, short on-the-job training and some related experience[6]. Median pay was above the all-occupations median, though the range from low to high is wide[1][3][4]. Growth is projected to be faster than average, from a base of only about 1,900 jobs[2][16].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a farm labor contractor make an hour?
- The median was $28.11 an hour in May 2025[1]. The middle half earned between $17.17 and $38.27 an hour[9].
- What education do you need to be a farm labor contractor?
- BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry education[6].
- How long does it take to become a farm labor contractor?
- BLS lists short-term on-the-job training and less than 5 years of related experience[6]. It does not give an exact length.
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Farm Labor Contractors in the US was $58,460 per year and $28.11 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Farm Labor Contractors is projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,900 to 2,000 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Farm Labor Contractors: 10th percentile $30,930, 25th percentile $35,720, 75th percentile $79,590, 90th percentile $84,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 100 openings for Farm Labor Contractors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Farm Labor Contractors: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Farm Labor Contractors was $58,470 per year and $28.11 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Farm Labor Contractors: 10th percentile $14.87, 25th percentile $17.17, 75th percentile $38.27, 90th percentile $40.41. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Farm Labor Contractors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 310 people were employed as Farm Labor Contractors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 13-1074.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. 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. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Farm Labor Contractors. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Farm Labor Contractors. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Farm Labor Contractors: 2.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.