Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. The role reports a median annual salary of $87,980 in the US and is showing modest growth of -1% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.42 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £33,011 a year for Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 1212). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Managers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 1. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Entrance exams on this route — Dates, eligibility and cut-offs for the exams on the way to this career:
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Administration and Management
- Production and Processing
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Food Production
- Sales and Marketing
A day in the life
You start before dawn with a walk around the farm, checking the crops, the irrigation and the livestock, and writing down growth and weather observations in your notebook. You notice pests spreading in one field, so you decide how to respond and arrange spraying. Mid-morning you plan the next planting based on the season, soil condition and what buyers want. You spend time with your workers, assigning jobs such as harvesting, repairing fences and feeding animals, and check that the equipment is working. After lunch you meet a buyer to agree prices and delivery dates, then deal with bills, loan papers and orders for seed and fertiliser. In the evening you review records to see how yields compare with last season. Unpredictable weather and constant paperwork can be stressful. But walking a field that is ready for harvest, knowing your decisions helped it grow, is one of the most satisfying feelings you know.
In India: In India most farms are small family holdings, so a farmer often does much of the physical work alongside family members and a few hired hands, while dealing with village cooperatives, local markets and government schemes for seed, credit and crop insurance.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.
What does a typical day look like in Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
You start before dawn with a walk around the farm, checking the crops, the irrigation and the livestock, and writing down growth and weather observations in your notebook. You notice pests spreading in one field, so you decide how to respond and arrange spraying. Mid-morning you plan the next planting based on the season, soil condition and what buyers want.
How much does Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers earn?
The median annual salary for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers in the US is $87,980.
What is the job outlook for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
The role is showing modest growth of -1% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 836,100 workers.
How do I become farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving, Management of Personnel Resources. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
Our AI-durability model gives Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers a score of 0.42 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.