All About Crop Farmworkers and Laborers
Crop Farmworker or Laborer Example Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts 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; cleaning, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
What Do Crop Farmworkers and Laborers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
- Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.
- Apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to crops.
- Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
- Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
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Things a Crop Farmworker or Laborer Should Know How to Do
Below is a list of the skills most Crop Farmworkers and Laborers say are important on the job.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Related Job Titles
- Dryland Farmer
- Ginner
- Weeder-Thinner
- Diversified Crops Farmworker
- Migratory Farm Hand
Are There Job Opportunities for Crop Farmworkers and Laborers?
There were about 503,700 jobs for Crop Farmworker or Laborer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 1.1% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,500 new jobs for Crop Farmworker or Laborer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 76,800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Crop Farmworker or Laborer are Alaska, Nevada, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, Florida, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Crop Farmworker or Laborer Average Salary
Crop Farmworkers and Laborers make between $21,900 and $35,200 a year.

Crop Farmworkers and Laborers who work in District of Columbia, Wyoming, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Crop Farmworkers and Laborers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,820 |
Alaska | $26,030 |
Arizona | $25,120 |
Arkansas | $22,020 |
California | $26,240 |
Colorado | $31,870 |
Connecticut | $29,760 |
Delaware | $28,390 |
District of Columbia | $38,760 |
Florida | $24,520 |
Georgia | $23,410 |
Hawaii | $32,740 |
Idaho | $24,340 |
Illinois | $30,020 |
Indiana | $24,820 |
Iowa | $30,630 |
Kansas | $28,450 |
Kentucky | $27,180 |
Louisiana | $26,060 |
Maine | $29,520 |
Maryland | $31,900 |
Massachusetts | $34,500 |
Michigan | $25,130 |
Minnesota | $31,510 |
Mississippi | $25,040 |
Missouri | $29,010 |
Montana | $24,850 |
Nebraska | $31,430 |
Nevada | $24,720 |
New Hampshire | $28,640 |
New Jersey | $27,810 |
New Mexico | $21,360 |
New York | $32,720 |
North Carolina | $24,770 |
North Dakota | $30,830 |
Ohio | $25,730 |
Oklahoma | $29,930 |
Oregon | $26,440 |
Pennsylvania | $29,270 |
South Carolina | $27,700 |
South Dakota | $28,560 |
Tennessee | $22,700 |
Texas | $22,120 |
Utah | $26,870 |
Vermont | $31,680 |
Virginia | $27,910 |
Washington | $29,430 |
West Virginia | $25,430 |
Wisconsin | $26,870 |
Wyoming | $35,260 |
What Tools & Technology do Crop Farmworkers and Laborers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Crop Farmworkers and Laborers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Global positioning system GPS software
- BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
- Farm Works Software Trac
Becoming a Crop Farmworker or Laborer
Individuals working as a Crop Farmworker or Laborer have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Crop Farmworker or Laborer?

Where Crop Farmworkers and Laborers Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Crop Farmworkers and Laborers employed by various industries.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Crop Farmworker or Laborer might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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