First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (SOC 45-1011) earn a median $59,320 a year ($28.52 an hour) in the United States, with 27,960 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Minnesota.
What first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers do
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers directly oversee and coordinate the work of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers. The group excludes first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers, who have their own code. With animals, the supervisor assigns tasks such as feeding, treatment, and the cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters, watches the animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, and notifies veterinarians or managers when warranted. Some treat animal illnesses or injuries following a veterinarian's instructions or their own experience. In aquaculture, the supervisor observes fish and beds or ponds to detect disease, track growth, judge quality, and decide whether a harvest is complete, and keeps counts, by type, of the fish and shellfish that are reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped. Supervisors train workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, in tree felling or bucking, and in tractor and loading machine operation, and they monitor safety, warning or disciplining those who break safety rules.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Agricultural and Forestry Supervisor, Agriculture Manager, Agronomy Location Manager, Agronomy Manager, Animal Care Supervisor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.75 | $22.44 | $28.52 | $36.20 | $44.12 | $30.16 | 27,960 |
| Annual | $38,990 | $46,670 | $59,320 | $75,290 | $91,770 | $62,730 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.37 | $27.33 | $39.17 | $45.24 | $52.26 | $38.30 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $50,690 | $56,850 | $81,480 | $94,100 | $108,700 | $79,670 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $24.03 | $28.90 | $36.28 | $43.98 | $47.08 | $36.05 | 220 | 0.07 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $49,970 | $60,100 | $75,460 | $91,480 | $97,930 | $74,990 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $23.76 | $29.78 | $35.78 | $47.47 | $50.81 | $37.93 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $49,420 | $61,940 | $74,420 | $98,730 | $105,670 | $78,900 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $20.58 | $24.96 | $33.93 | $39.65 | $47.38 | $34.23 | 770 | 0.16 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $42,800 | $51,920 | $70,560 | $82,460 | $98,560 | $71,200 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $17.88 | $23.89 | $33.35 | $37.27 | $47.29 | $32.02 | 530 | 0.62 | 3.47 |
| Annual | $37,190 | $49,700 | $69,360 | $77,510 | $98,350 | $66,600 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.70 | $21.84 | $27.06 | $35.67 | $43.93 | $29.48 | 10,450 | 0.57 | 3.19 |
| Annual | $38,900 | $45,440 | $56,280 | $74,200 | $91,370 | $61,320 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.96 | $23.87 | $31.83 | $38.37 | $45.40 | $32.64 | 1,220 | 0.35 | 1.92 |
| Annual | $43,590 | $49,660 | $66,200 | $79,810 | $94,430 | $67,890 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.70 | $20.67 | $25.56 | $30.28 | $39.42 | $27.24 | 1,150 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $36,810 | $43,000 | $53,170 | $62,980 | $82,000 | $56,660 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.63 | $21.03 | $28.26 | $35.67 | $43.49 | $29.55 | 940 | 0.09 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $43,730 | $58,780 | $74,190 | $90,460 | $61,450 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $18.89 | $23.79 | $27.85 | $35.17 | $42.75 | $29.36 | 840 | 0.43 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $39,290 | $49,480 | $57,940 | $73,150 | $88,920 | $61,060 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $24.88 | $33.00 | $44.50 | $52.26 | $58.20 | $42.71 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $51,750 | $68,640 | $92,560 | $108,700 | $121,060 | $88,830 | ||||
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | Hourly | $28.10 | $32.79 | $44.15 | $44.59 | $46.64 | $39.74 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $58,440 | $68,190 | $91,820 | $92,740 | $97,020 | $82,670 | ||||
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | Hourly | $23.85 | $37.07 | $39.44 | $49.43 | $60.35 | $40.39 | 40 | 0.55 | 3.05 |
| Annual | $49,600 | $77,110 | $82,040 | $102,810 | $125,530 | $84,010 | ||||
| Yuma, AZ | Hourly | $21.26 | $31.50 | $38.00 | $39.72 | $54.81 | $37.05 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,220 | $65,510 | $79,040 | $82,610 | $114,000 | $77,060 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $23.92 | $28.39 | $37.05 | $42.75 | $47.33 | $37.33 | 120 | 0.10 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $49,750 | $59,040 | $77,070 | $88,910 | $98,440 | $77,650 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $17.35 | $21.40 | $22.55 | $29.58 | $38.06 | $26.26 | 1,430 | 4.23 | 23.53 |
| Annual | $36,080 | $44,520 | $46,910 | $61,520 | $79,150 | $54,620 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | $18.70 | $21.11 | $23.48 | $31.24 | $36.82 | $26.95 | 1,340 | 2.81 | 15.60 |
| Annual | $38,890 | $43,910 | $48,850 | $64,980 | $76,580 | $56,050 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $18.73 | $21.94 | $29.82 | $36.21 | $40.28 | $30.12 | 1,240 | 6.67 | 37.07 |
| Annual | $38,950 | $45,630 | $62,030 | $75,320 | $83,770 | $62,640 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | $17.13 | $21.02 | $22.98 | $30.36 | $36.54 | $26.33 | 990 | 5.78 | 32.14 |
| Annual | $35,620 | $43,720 | $47,800 | $63,140 | $76,010 | $54,770 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | $19.23 | $20.56 | $23.33 | $32.50 | $37.90 | $26.92 | 710 | 3.55 | 19.72 |
| Annual | $40,000 | $42,750 | $48,520 | $67,610 | $78,840 | $56,000 | ||||
Top industries employing first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
Support Activities for Crop Production employ 41.6% of first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers nationally (11,640 jobs) at a median $51,840 a year ($24.93 an hour), followed by Logging (8.7%) and Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) (6.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Crop Production NAICS 115100 | 11,640 | 41.6% | $51,840 | $24.93 |
| Logging NAICS 113300 | 2,420 | 8.7% | $72,280 | $34.75 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) NAICS 4240A3 | 1,690 | 6.0% | $60,080 | $28.89 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,380 | 4.9% | $66,750 | $32.09 |
| Support Activities for Animal Production NAICS 115200 | 1,150 | 4.1% | $56,200 | $27.02 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (27,960). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,640 for first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers in May 2021 and $59,320 in May 2025, with employment of 25,770 and 27,960.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,640 | $23.38 | 25,770 |
| May 2022 | $54,490 | $26.20 | 27,670 |
| May 2023 | $57,320 | $27.56 | 27,150 |
| May 2024 | $59,330 | $28.53 | 29,530 |
| May 2025 | $59,320 | $28.52 | 27,960 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
48 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota profile | $39.17 | $81,480 | $50,690 | $108,700 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| 2 | Indiana profile | $36.28 | $75,460 | $49,970 | $97,930 | 220 | 0.07 | 0.38 |
| 3 | New Hampshire profile | $35.78 | $74,420 | $49,420 | $105,670 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 4 | Georgia profile | $33.93 | $70,560 | $42,800 | $98,560 | 770 | 0.16 | 0.87 |
| 5 | Idaho profile | $33.35 | $69,360 | $37,190 | $98,350 | 530 | 0.62 | 3.47 |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $33.00 | $68,630 | $47,840 | $92,890 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.66 |
| 7 | Delaware profile | $31.99 | $66,550 | $51,310 | $95,010 | 70 | 0.14 | 0.78 |
| 8 | New York profile | $31.95 | $66,460 | $51,700 | $85,700 | 520 | 0.05 | 0.30 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $31.83 | $66,200 | $43,590 | $94,430 | 1,220 | 0.35 | 1.92 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $31.75 | $66,030 | $41,200 | $95,630 | 640 | 0.22 | 1.24 |
| 11 | Montana profile | $31.25 | $64,990 | $38,470 | $84,460 | 260 | 0.51 | 2.82 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $31.20 | $64,900 | $44,210 | $94,930 | 480 | 0.15 | 0.83 |
| 13 | Maine profile | $30.91 | $64,290 | $52,180 | $93,070 | 100 | 0.16 | 0.90 |
| 14 | Arkansas profile | $30.19 | $62,790 | $36,300 | $72,610 | 240 | 0.18 | 1.02 |
| 15 | Nebraska profile | $30.11 | $62,620 | $43,680 | $84,530 | 90 | 0.09 | 0.52 |
| 16 | Wisconsin profile | $30.10 | $62,610 | $38,480 | $92,940 | 330 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $29.92 | $62,230 | $38,660 | $90,170 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.39 |
| 18 | Oklahoma profile | $29.83 | $62,040 | $35,730 | $87,370 | 220 | 0.13 | 0.71 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $29.82 | $62,030 | $37,040 | $93,380 | 320 | 0.16 | 0.90 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | $29.41 | $61,180 | $36,600 | $79,890 | 130 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| 21 | Missouri profile | $29.30 | $60,950 | $42,460 | $79,270 | 430 | 0.15 | 0.81 |
| 22 | Mississippi profile | $29.27 | $60,890 | $40,320 | $95,440 | 440 | 0.38 | 2.13 |
| 23 | Alabama profile | $29.19 | $60,710 | $40,390 | $97,180 | 590 | 0.28 | 1.55 |
| 24 | Hawaii profile | $28.87 | $60,050 | $41,360 | $69,650 | 230 | 0.37 | 2.06 |
| 25 | Massachusetts profile | $28.67 | $59,640 | $46,160 | $80,500 | 390 | 0.11 | 0.60 |
| 26 | Wyoming profile | $28.68 | $59,640 | $41,440 | $74,370 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.83 |
| 27 | Connecticut profile | $28.59 | $59,460 | $50,760 | $80,540 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.20 |
| 28 | Iowa profile | $28.44 | $59,150 | $38,480 | $95,630 | 360 | 0.23 | 1.30 |
| 29 | Illinois profile | $28.38 | $59,030 | $31,210 | $97,500 | 510 | 0.08 | 0.46 |
| 30 | Louisiana profile | $28.38 | $59,020 | $44,020 | $95,970 | 490 | 0.25 | 1.40 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $28.26 | $58,780 | $36,660 | $90,460 | 940 | 0.09 | 0.52 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $28.22 | $58,700 | $34,220 | $95,780 | 560 | 0.11 | 0.64 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | $28.21 | $58,670 | $26,980 | $79,460 | 270 | 0.19 | 1.05 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.16 | $58,570 | $41,670 | $87,860 | 530 | 0.09 | 0.49 |
| 35 | Oregon profile | $27.85 | $57,940 | $39,290 | $88,920 | 840 | 0.43 | 2.37 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $27.83 | $57,880 | $51,800 | $73,070 | 110 | 0.23 | 1.28 |
| 37 | New Jersey profile | $27.52 | $57,240 | $42,170 | $89,740 | 270 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 38 | Virginia profile | $27.40 | $56,990 | $40,710 | $89,470 | 670 | 0.16 | 0.91 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $27.28 | $56,730 | $46,460 | $87,510 | 370 | 0.16 | 0.90 |
| 40 | California profile | $27.06 | $56,280 | $38,900 | $91,370 | 10,450 | 0.57 | 3.19 |
| 41 | Michigan profile | $26.67 | $55,460 | $39,050 | $82,430 | 500 | 0.11 | 0.63 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | $26.42 | $54,940 | $35,170 | $87,030 | 380 | 0.07 | 0.38 |
| 43 | Rhode Island profile | $25.85 | $53,770 | $49,900 | $86,380 | 60 | 0.11 | 0.61 |
| 44 | West Virginia profile | $25.57 | $53,190 | $43,770 | $72,520 | 70 | 0.10 | 0.54 |
| 45 | Texas profile | $25.56 | $53,170 | $36,810 | $82,000 | 1,150 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $25.46 | $52,960 | $37,410 | $77,660 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.29 |
| 47 | Utah profile | $25.37 | $52,760 | $42,480 | $87,050 | 160 | 0.09 | 0.50 |
| 48 | New Mexico profile | $24.12 | $50,160 | $40,680 | $76,940 | 220 | 0.25 | 1.40 |
Part of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 45-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 45-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 45-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.