Agricultural workers held about 834,000 jobs in 2004. Of these, farmworkers were the most numerous, holding about 690,000 jobs. Graders and sorters held about 45,000 jobs, agricultural inspectors 14,000 jobs, agricultural equipment operators 60,000 jobs, and animal breeders 12,000 jobs. More than 66 percent of all agricultural workers worked for crop and livestock producers, while more than 5 percent worked for agricultural service providers, mostly farm labor contractors.
Earnings Overview
Median hourly earnings in May 2004 for each of the occupations found in this statement are as follows:
| Agricultural inspectors | $14.92 |
| Animal breeders | 13.55 |
| Agricultural workers, all other | 10.15 |
| Agricultural equipment operators | 8.88 |
| Farmworkers, farm and ranch animals | 8.31 |
| Graders and sorters, agricultural products | 7.90 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse | 7.70 |
Few agricultural workers are members of unions.
Earnings by State
Earnings by Metropolitan Area