Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Also called: Accredited Farm Manager (AFM), Activation Manager, Agricultural Crop Farm Manager, Agricultural Manager, Agriculture Farmer, Agriculture Manager, Agronomy Manager, Agronomy Operations Manager
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments.
What farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers do
Typical tasks
- Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
- Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
- Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
- Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
- Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
- Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
- Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
- Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
- Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.
- Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.
- Maintain financial, operational, production, or employment records for farms or ranches.
- Coordinate clerical, record-keeping, inventory, requisitioning, and marketing activities.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers salary
The median annual wage for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers is $89,900 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $54,320 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $160,020. The mean annual wage is $99,820.
The mean hourly wage of $47.00 is 6.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $89,900 → in 3 years $97,600 → in 5 years $103,000 → in 10 years $118,100 (10-year range $101,600–$137,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.8% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.