Farm Hand
AgricultureYou do whatever needs doing — feeding livestock, driving tractors, fixing fences, pulling weeds, and hauling things that are heavier than they look. The hours are brutal, the pay is modest, and your alarm clock is either a rooster or a farmer who's been up since 4 AM wondering where you are. But you'll learn more about how food actually gets to the table in one season than most people learn in a lifetime.
Salary Range
Low
$24k
Median
$32k
High
$42k
10-Year Growth
-1%
US Workers
300K
Education
No formal education required — on-the-job training + willingness to work hard
Environment
outdoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Tractor & ATV operation
- ▸Livestock feeding & care basics
- ▸Fence repair & construction
- ▸Irrigation equipment operation
- ▸Harvest equipment operation (under supervision)
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Physical stamina
- ▸Reliability
- ▸Willingness to learn
- ▸Work ethic
- ▸Following instructions
- ▸Adaptability
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Harvest equipment operation (under supervision)
What you'll actually do
- 01Feed and water livestock before the sun is fully up
- 02Operate tractors, ATVs, and farm equipment under supervision
- 03Repair fences, gates, and structures that weather and animals destroy
- 04Harvest crops by hand or machine depending on the operation
- 05Move irrigation equipment that weighs more than your first car
- 06Go home smelling like a combination of dirt, diesel, and livestock
Related Shifts
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