Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
SOC code 45-2092 · O*NET-SOC 45-2092.00 · Little to some preparation needed
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$35,660
a year
Hourly
$17.15
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$37,630
$18.09 per hour
Middle 50%
$34,320 – $38,840
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$32,900 – $45,690
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
265,500
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $32,900
- $15.82/hr
- 25th percentile
- $34,320
- $16.50/hr
- Median percentile
- $35,660
- $17.15/hr
- 75th percentile
- $38,840
- $18.67/hr
- 90th percentile
- $45,690
- $21.96/hr
What do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
- Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
- Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
- Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
- Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems.
- Feel plants' leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease.
- Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold less than a high school diploma — 39% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Less than a High School Diploma39%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)29%
- Bachelor's Degree15%
- Some College Courses5%
Common questions
How much does a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse earn?
The national median is $35,660 a year. The full range runs from $32,900 at the 10th percentile to $45,690 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking3.0/5
- Active Listening2.9/5
- Reading Comprehension2.8/5
- Writing2.8/5
- Critical Thinking2.8/5
- Monitoring2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Food Production2.8/5
- Biology2.8/5
- Mechanical2.7/5
- Administration and Management2.7/5
- Chemistry2.6/5
- Mathematics2.6/5
- English Language2.5/5
Transferable strengths: Operations Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Operation and Control, Repairing.