Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Also called: Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop
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.
Also called: Agriculture Laborer, Agriculture Worker, Apple Picker, Apple Thinner, Apple Turner, Asparagus Cutter
Median pay
$35,660
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$32,900 – $45,690
People employed
265,500
Holland code
RCE
Realistic · Conventional · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 2.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 3.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 4.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 5.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 6.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
- 7.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 8.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
The hard parts
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Tight deadlines are common
- Long hours on your feet
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse pay by state
Annual median pay by state (50 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse salary in every state →
What farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse do
- 01Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
- 02Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- 03Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
- 04Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
- 05Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
- 06Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Biology
- Food Production
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders82% · +45%
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation79% · +30%
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders78% · +36%
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners76% · +43%
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers75% · +10%
Change into farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers77% · $40,130
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers75% · $39,150
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers72% · $38,300
- Forest and Conservation Workers71% · $43,680