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Hatchery manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$59,320median pay per year, or $28.52 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $38,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,67025th percentile
  3. $59,320median
  4. $75,29075th percentile
  5. $91,770top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Hatchery manager is one job title inside a wider BLS group, First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers[1]. That group had a median pay of $59,320 a year in May 2025[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.8%[5]
Openings per year
7,200[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do hatchery managers make?

The figures here cover the whole BLS group, not only hatcheries. Workers in the group report titles such as Hatchery Manager, Fish Hatchery Manager, Farm Supervisor and Logging Supervisor[1].

The median wage was $59,320 a year, or $28.52 an hour, in May 2025[2]. The average was $62,730 a year, or $30.16 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,990 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $46,670[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $75,290, and the top 10% earned more than $91,770[3]. Hourly boundaries were $18.75, $22.44, $36.20 and $44.12[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[10].

BLS counted about 27,960 wage and salary jobs[11]. These figures leave out self-employed workers, bonuses and benefits such as health insurance[12].

Measure Annual wage Source
Median[2] $59,320
Mean[8] $62,730
All occupations, median[4] $50,980

Pay by state and city

Minnesota had the highest median wage at $81,480, followed by Indiana at $75,460 and New Hampshire at $74,420[13]. New Mexico had the lowest of the 48 states with published data, at $50,160[13].

California had the most jobs at 10,450, then Washington at 1,220 and Texas at 1,150[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest median was $92,560[15]. It was in the Minneapolis area, listed by BLS as Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI[15]. Bakersfield-Delano, CA had the most jobs at 1,430, with a median of $46,910[16].

Show median pay in 48 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Minnesota[13]$81,480230
Indiana$75,460220
New Hampshire$74,42040
Georgia$70,560770
Idaho$69,360530
Vermont$68,63040
Delaware$66,55070
New York$66,460520
Washington$66,2001,220
Colorado$66,030640
Montana$64,990260
Arizona$64,900480
Maine$64,290100
Arkansas$62,790240
Nebraska$62,62090
Wisconsin$62,610330
Maryland$62,230200
Oklahoma$62,040220
Kentucky$62,030320
Nevada$61,180130
Missouri$60,950430
Mississippi$60,890440
Alabama$60,710590
Hawaii$60,050230
Massachusetts$59,640390
Wyoming$59,64040
Connecticut$59,46060
Iowa$59,150360
Illinois$59,030510
Louisiana$59,020490
Florida$58,780940
North Carolina$58,700560
Kansas$58,670270
Pennsylvania$58,570530
Oregon$57,940840
South Dakota$57,880110
New Jersey$57,240270
Virginia$56,990670
South Carolina$56,730370
California$56,28010,450
Michigan$55,460500
Ohio$54,940380
Rhode Island$53,77060
West Virginia$53,19070
Texas$53,1701,150
Tennessee$52,960170
Utah$52,760160
New Mexico$50,160220

How to become a hatchery manager

The facts below describe the whole BLS group. They do not mention any license.

ONET places the group in Job Zone Three, where previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience is required[17]. In an ONET survey of 98 workers, 33% said a bachelor's degree was required and 32% said a high school diploma or equivalent[18]. Another 14% said a post-secondary certificate, 10% said less than a high school diploma and 6% said some college courses[18]. Those are survey shares from a small group.

What hatchery managers and similar supervisors do

These supervisors directly oversee and coordinate agricultural, forestry and aquaculture workers[19]. O*NET tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 57,600 to 59,800 jobs[5]. Employment across all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[21]. These counts include self-employed workers, who made up 6.3% of the group in 2025[5][22].

BLS projects about 7,200 openings a year on average[6]. Each year, 5.1% of workers leave the labor force and 6.7% move to a different occupation[23]. Openings count vacancies from workers who retire or change fields as well as new jobs[6].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay for this group was above the all-occupations median[2][4]. The typical entry education is a high school diploma, with related experience of less than 5 years[7]. Employment is projected to grow at a rate close to the all-occupations rate, and openings are expected each year[5][21][6]. Pay differs by state, so local figures matter[13].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a hatchery manager make?
The BLS group that includes hatchery managers had a median wage of $59,320 a year, or $28.52 an hour, in May 2025[2][1].
What education do you need to be a hatchery manager?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education for this group, with related experience of less than 5 years[7].
Is the hatchery manager job in demand?
Employment in the group is projected to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, versus 3.5% for all occupations[5][21].
What is the highest paying state for hatchery managers?
Minnesota had the highest median wage for the group at $81,480[13].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 45-1011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Animal Research Facility Supervisor, Cattle Manager, Farm Supervisor, Fish Hatchery Manager, Harvesting Supervisor, Hatchery Manager, Logging Crew Foreman, Logging Supervisor. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers in the US was $59,320 per year and $28.52 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: 10th percentile $38,990, 25th percentile $46,670, 75th percentile $75,290, 90th percentile $91,770. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers is projected to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 57,600 to 59,800 jobs (a change of +2,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 7,200 openings for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers 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
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers was $62,730 per year and $30.16 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: 10th percentile $18.75, 25th percentile $22.44, 75th percentile $36.20, 90th percentile $44.12. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 27,960 people were employed as First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers jobs: California 10,450; Washington 1,220; Texas 1,150; Florida 940; Oregon 840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $92,560; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $77,070; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $76,760; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $74,690; Kennewick-Richland, WA $74,370; Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $74,360; Napa, CA $73,540; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $73,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers jobs: Bakersfield-Delano, CA 1,430 (median $46,910); Fresno, CA 1,340 (median $48,850); Salinas, CA 1,240 (median $62,030); Visalia, CA 990 (median $47,800); Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 710 (median $48,520); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 520 (median $73,480). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 45-1011.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 45-1011.00 survey of workers (98 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 33%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 32%, Post-Secondary Certificate 14%, Less than a High School Diploma 10%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections: 6.3% of First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: 5.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.7% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

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.