Farm and Ranch Managers: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Farm and Ranch 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, or 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, financial, or marketing activities.

• Operate or oversee the operations of dairy farms that produce bulk milk.
• Inspect orchards or fields to determine crop maturity or condition or to detect disease or insect infestation.
• Direct crop production operations, such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, or harvesting.
• Monitor activities, such as irrigation, chemical application, harvesting, milking, breeding, or grading, to ensure adherence to safety regulations or standards.

Salary

Farm and Ranch Managers with little to no experience tend to make between $35440 and $50130 while the more experienced ones can earn over $100070 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Farm and Ranch Manager is to move to a higher paying state like NC. Right now, the highest paying states for Farm and Ranch Managers are NC, MN, CA, NV and PA.

However, a higher pay at NC doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at NC might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Farm and Ranch Manager is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Farm and Ranch Managers what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a High School Diploma.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Farm and Ranch Manager.

What is the job like

72% of Farm and Ranch Managers said they were satisfied with their job and 74% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Mpenga Kabundi

P&A Family Farm Concept in Lusaka, Zambia (Southern Africa)

My Typical Day There are four important tasks around which I structure my daily work: Crop scouting: We start each day checking our plants’ health to proactively anticipate potential problems or initiate quick interventions if we identify problems. Land preparation and/or continuous healthy soil building/maintaining Planting and/or Field maintenance Harvesting and/or orders delivery Depending on … Read More

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Jess Oldham

Farm Yard, a small flower farm in rural Moab, Utah

I am the owner and head farmer of Farm Yard, a small flower farm in rural Moab, Utah. I am also the manager of a privately owned local orchard. Every day on the farm is a little bit different. I head out early before the heat to do chores such as water any germinating beds, … Read More

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Nate Krause

Swans Trail Farms

I am the Operations Manager of Swans Trail Farms. Our farm is 200 acres and we grow pumpkins, strawberries, apples, and a small amount of sweet corn. Depending on the season. During the offseason is time off, answering emails and researching crops and different farming techniques. During season days start off by making sure all … Read More

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Jill Sandy

As an agricultural operations manager, I am not directly involved in production activities, but I have to keep track of everything. I hire capable individuals and monitor and manage their duties on the land. I am responsible for making decisions about harvesting, storing, and selling crops. I spend a lot of time studying the crop … Read More

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Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

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