25 of the Highest Paying Farm Jobs in 2026

The best Farm jobs can pay up to $190,500 per year.

High Paying Farm Jobs

• Grain Merchandiser

  Salary range: $34,000 - $190,500

  A grain merchandiser purchases and sells grain as a commodity. Based on the market, which fluctuates based on supply and demand, they decide when to buy grain, then store it or process it until it is an ideal time to sell. They buy from farmers at a basis price at harvest, which is set based on the futures price, or the amount a buyer agrees to pay at a later date. Merchandisers often work for grain elevators, processors, or businesses that can hold the grain until resale. This job agriculture and business knowledge.

• Dairy Consultant

  Salary range: $142,000 - $165,000

  The job duties of a dairy consultant revolve around working on the improvement of different aspects of the milk production process. In this career, your responsibilities may vary depending on your area of expertise. You can focus on nutrition for a herd of dairy cows to increase production and ensure proper growth, or you may perform research in the field of livestock genetics, focusing on reproduction and development so that the cows have a better chance of producing quality milk. As a dairy consultant, you may also advise farmers about additional methods for increasing production and processing of milk.

• Seed District Sales Manager

  Salary range: $51,500 - $100,000

  A seed district sales manager is responsible for managing the direct sales activities of agricultural growers and dealers. In this career, you work with farmers to reach profit goals and sell seed products like corn and soybeans. Your duties are to help customers build a network within their territory, distribute products, and negotiates prices. You develop and review business plans and marketing systems for the organization, and also recruit and train dealers. You lead the sales team for their organization. Additionally, you help train new dealers on all products in development and new to the market.

• Agricultural Specialist

  Salary range: $57,000 - $98,500

  Agricultural specialists research farms and crops, collect data, and help farmers implement the best industry practices available. As an agricultural specialist, you also take the time to evaluate farmlands, cultivate relationships with others in the industry, and support land conservation efforts. Many agriculture specialists work at a college or university as part of a long-term project, and may teach classes on agriculture or supervise students doing projects of their own. Some schools expect you to focus on providing useful results and soliciting funding for the agriculture program. This position is different from the agricultural specialists of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who work to prevent the introduction of harmful plant pests and animal disease to domestic plants and animals and stop agro-terrorism.

• Agricultural Engineer

  Salary range: $82,500 - $83,000

  Agricultural engineering is the design of equipment, structures, and farming systems for agricultural industries. As an agricultural engineer, your responsibilities may include the design of everything, from new harvesting tools, to grain storage facilities, to aquaculture systems. These duties include extensive use of CAD design software. You are also expected to manage agriculture projects. In some cases, agricultural engineers work with a team to ensure they complete projects on time. In addition, you must be able to resolve problems related to food production or equipment failure.

• Grain Operations Manager

  Salary range: $36,500 - $78,000

  A grain operations manager oversees daily operations at a grain elevator or other grain storage facility. As a grain operations manager, you manage workers, direct them in the loading and unloading of grains from trucks or rail cars, monitor grain mixing, and ensure the quality of the grain and storage. Your responsibilities include performing maintenance on the equipment at the facility, including the pneumatic conveyors or bucket elevators that lift grain into silos or bins, and handling all customer orders and shipments.

• Produce Buyer

  Salary range: $37,500 - $74,500

  A produce buyer works in a grocery store or chain to manage the inventory of fruits and vegetables. In this career, your job duties involve sourcing produce and negotiating a wholesale price that fits with your employer’s budget. You may create contacts with wholesalers or directly with growers. Your responsibilities include performing inspections to verify the quality of the products that you plan to purchase. Most produce buyers continuously search for suppliers who can offer quality products and low prices. You must also have skills in and knowledge of supply chain, shelf-life, and current commodity market trends.

• Crop Advisor

  Salary range: $61,500 - $71,500

  The job duties of a crop advisor include helping farmers and agricultural companies grow crops and achieve a profitable yield. Your responsibilities in this career consist of working to evaluate farming plans, seeds, crop choices, and fertilizers based on factors like the location of the farm, the climate, weather forecasts, commodity prices, and soil quality. You then make recommendations to each farmer based on your evaluations. You inspect each field during the growing season to look for pests, plant diseases, and other issues that could hurt yield.

• Irrigation Manager

  Salary range: $44,500 - $69,000

  An irrigation manager supervises the planning, implementation, and monitoring of an irrigation project. As an irrigation manager, you ensure that irrigation efforts meet efficiency, water conservation, and quality standards, and that the project is completed on time and within the planned budget. Your duties include working with the landowner, landscape expert, or agriculture professional to establish project needs and expectations. Your responsibilities may also include overseeing irrigation technicians during the installation, monitoring, and repair of the system.

• Farm Operations Manager

  Salary range: $40,000 - $69,000

  The role of a farm operations manager is to oversee the daily running of a farm, ranch, or other agricultural facilities, such as a nursery, greenhouse, or aquaculture establishment. As a farm operations manager, you supervise all of the other workers, such as department managers, field workers, and mechanical technicians. Your duties also include directing major operations at your facility, such as planting and harvesting schedules, cultivation practices, hiring and training of new workers, and contracting workers, equipment, and services that are not retained in-house. You help owners and executives plan budgets and other long-term strategies.

• Farm Manager

  Salary range: $40,500 - $68,500

  The job duties of a farm manager include overseeing farming operations. In this career, your responsibilities vary somewhat depending on the type of crops or livestock that you manage. In general, you are responsible for maximizing production of either animals or crops. You may make decisions about the optimal times for plowing, planting, fertilizing, and harvesting. You may test soil, choose fertilizers or pesticides, or opt for a specific type of livestock feed to increase yield. As a farm manager, you may also oversee the acquisition and maintenance of equipment and facilities.

• Crop Consultant

  Salary range: $60,000 - $68,500

  A crop consultant, also known as a crop advisor, provides advice to farmers about what types of crops to plant in a particular area. As a crop consultant, your job duties are to consult closely with your clients about soil, seeds, budgets, and other environmental conditions, such as rainfall and humidity. You also maintain close relationships with suppliers, such as seed banks and fertilizer companies. A crop consultant is also very knowledgeable about crop diseases, pests, and other issues that may plague a farmer’s crops.

• Precision Agriculture Specialist

  Salary range: $49,500 - $64,000

  A precision agriculture specialist works with growers to assist with technical precision equipment. The equipment you work with includes mapping equipment and software that indicate ideal soil locations, global positioning systems for soil sample and growing recommendations, and satellite equipment that delineates relevant variations in the land. In addition to helping growers use and understand precision equipment, your duties may also include making recommendations for, and selling, equipment that might be useful to them. Precision agriculture specialists also install, optimize, inspect, and repair precision agriculture equipment for clients and offer training to growers and other specialists on proper equipment use.

• Agricultural Sales Representative

  Salary range: $46,000 - $63,500

  The job of an agricultural sales representative is to sell agricultural (ag) products and services to a farm or company. They often travel to locations within an assigned territory to negotiate orders for seeds for crops, pesticides, fertilizer, garden equipment, food for animals, and livestock. The duties of an agricultural sales representative include finding potential clients; educating customers on installation, operation, and maintenance of machines; recommending products; managing inventory; and preparing contracts and reports. An ag sales rep may attend tradeshows and conferences regularly to stay current on industry trends.

• Farmer

  Salary range: $28,000 - $61,500

  Farmers raise livestock, like cows or pigs, and plant, grow, and sell crops. Farmers are business owners. They sell goods, hire and pay employees, and keep an eye on their profits and expenses.

• Tractor Mechanic

  Salary range: $43,000 - $60,000

  As a tractor mechanic, you repair farm equipment like mechanical and diesel tractor systems. In this role, you may diagnose failures, interpret test results, disassemble mechanical systems, and check any electronic programs that the equipment uses. You often travel to farms to provide on-site service and repair due to the difficulty of getting some inoperable tractors to repair facilities. Some tractor mechanics live on-site to provide immediate services for larger farms. Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of this job requires attention to detail, physical stamina, excellent eyesight, and the ability to make repairs in various types of weather.

• Grain Inspector

  Salary range: $36,000 - $58,500

  The duties of a grain inspector include inspecting containers, trucks, and railcars to ensure they meet requirements for carrying grain, ensuring they do not have leaks, infestations, or other issues. You are in charge of quality control and take samples of each grain load and test it using federal grain inspection procedures outlined by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) and Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Other responsibilities include preparing for grading by running a number of tests and awarding each load with a corresponding grade based on moisture content, weight, and foreign material presence. Other tests may be required such as for measuring mycotoxins, proteins and oil, and more. You document all tests that you run and keep a record of all results and grades.

• Agricultural Inspector

  Salary range: $47,500 - $57,500

  An agricultural inspector monitors farms and other agricultural production facilities to ensure that the location complies with all health and safety regulations. Their duties include inspecting meat and produce for quality, visiting a farm or plant to make sure that the facility meets federal standards, and write reports about their findings. Career qualifications for an agricultural inspector include a high school diploma or GED, although an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in biology, agricultural science, or a related field may be preferred. Additional job skills include an eye for detail and strong written communication.

• Agriculture Mechanic

  Salary range: $37,500 - $56,000

  An agriculture mechanic performs machine maintenance and repair on farm equipment, such as combines or tractors. These service technicians calibrate farm vehicles and tools, ensure machinery is in good working order, diagnose mechanical issues, and fix equipment when it breaks. You can begin your career as an agriculture mechanic with a high school diploma and on-the-job training. Some mechanics choose to complete vocational school or an associate degree program to improve their mechanical aptitude and acquire additional skills, which may offer a competitive advantage with employers.

• Precision Farming Specialist

  Salary range: $47,000 - $54,500

  A precision farming specialist focuses on sales and support for specialized farming equipment and systems. In this career, you may work with an agricultural equipment store or department to provide information about products to staff and customers. Your duties could include equipment demonstrations in stores, on farms, or at trade shows. Some precision farm specialists may have training responsibilities which require them to show farmers and other agricultural professionals how to safely and effectively operate the precision farming equipment. You may travel to farms to provide onsite support for existing customers.

• Horticulturist

  Salary range: $36,000 - $53,500

  A horticulturist is a plant and soil specialist whose responsibilities are to inspect plants, crops, and gardens, identify any issues regarding watering, fertilizing, soil, or pest control, and coordinate efforts to address the issues and improve the aesthetic or productive nature of the landscape. As a horticulturist, your other duties may include overseeing the planning of new farmland, landscape design, or the preservation of natural habitat. You typically supervise other garden or farm workers and work closely with soil scientists, landscape architects, groundskeepers, and other plant specialists.

• Licensed Chemical Spray Technician

  Salary range: $36,500 - $52,500

  A licensed chemical spray technician performs chemical applications for pest prevention or other landscaping needs. Your responsibilities in this career are to conduct routine safety inspections of equipment, maintain proper chemical storage and mixing areas that comply with local and federal regulations, and manage inventory and usage of fertilizer and pesticides. Your duties include operating sprayers and spreaders to treat specific insect and landscape disease and nutritional deficiencies. You also use sprays, dusts, vapors, and soil incorporation on lawns or landscapes to preserve trees, shrubs, and botanical crops.

• Grower

  Salary range: $30,500 - $52,000

  A grower is a large-scale garden or horticulture specialist who oversees the growing of crops, such as produce, medicinal species, and ornamental plants/trees. Your duties involve monitoring all stages of a plant’s growing cycles, from soil and facility preparation and seed germination to watering, lighting, and harvesting. Depending on the scope of your responsibilities, you may also be tasked with research into strain genetics, cloning or grafting breeds of a plant, and lab testing of finished products to test for disease, potency, or other factors.

• Irrigation Technician

  Salary range: $38,000 - $50,000

  As an irrigation technician, your responsibilities are to install and repair irrigation systems that water gardens and crops. You may help landscape areas to hide irrigation systems, provide maintenance on existing systems, and create plans to show customers. Other duties include testing installations, evaluating winterization plans, providing detailed reports on systems, and managing an inventory of spare and replacement parts. You may also gather and update historical data about water sources, suggest watering schedules to customers to help minimize irrigation costs, and help implement solutions for droughts or water restrictions. Irrigation technicians frequently travel to work sites, but overnight trips are not common.

• Greenhouse Manager

  Salary range: $40,000 - $50,000

  A greenhouse manager oversees the daily operations of a greenhouse. Their duties include hiring and training new staff, managing schedules, and directing staff on tasks, such as the propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of plants. As a greenhouse manager, you may work on a farm, for a large, commercial agricultural operation, or in a horticulture department on a college campus. You breed and cultivate decorative or functional trees, shrubs, and flowers. You are responsible for daily inspections of the facility to ensure the conditions are optimal for the plants and handling any diseases or pests that may appear in the greenhouse.