Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than 5 years
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers coordinate and oversee teams who perform hands-on work in these resource-based industries. With national employment of about 65,000 workers, this role offers opportunities for people who want to combine practical, physical work with leadership responsibilities. The position involves guiding crews, organizing work activities, and making day-to-day decisions to keep operations running smoothly. A strong mix of project management, leadership, problem solving, and communication skills is important, along with the ability to apply science, mathematics, and mechanical understanding on the job. The national median annual salary of $59,330 reflects the added responsibility that comes with supervising others. Projected employment growth of 2.5%, along with about 8,000 annual openings, suggests a consistent flow of opportunities over time. Overall, this path can fit students, job changers, or experienced workers who are ready to move from front-line tasks into a leadership role in farming, fishing, or forestry settings.
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers earn a national median annual salary of $59,330. Pay levels vary across states and metro areas, creating a range of earning possibilities. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries span from $56,280 in California to $66,460 in New York and $66,200 in Washington. Colorado is also near the top with a $66,030 median, while Massachusetts is close to the national median at $59,640. In metro areas, median pay can be higher. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports a median salary of $77,070, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA lists $74,690. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro shows $70,120. These figures indicate that supervisors who work in certain metros, especially in California and New York, may access higher median earnings, while still remaining within the overall national pay range for this occupation.
This occupation has a national employment level of about 65,000 first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers. Projected employment growth of 2.5% points to an expanding job count over the projection period. In addition to growth, there are an estimated 8,000 annual openings. These openings can reflect a combination of new positions added as well as turnover and replacement needs, resulting in a recurring flow of opportunities for new entrants and advancing workers. The 2.5% growth rate appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, suggesting a similar projected pace of expansion in those locations. For students and job changers, this combination of an established employment base, positive projected growth, and thousands of openings each year indicates a labor market where new supervisors can continue to find positions over time, especially if they build the leadership and technical skills important for this role.
Location can make a significant difference for first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers. Among states with top CareerGPS opportunity scores, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, median salary of $56,280, and employment of 10,450, making it a large employment center for this occupation. Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington all have opportunity scores above 56, with median salaries clustered around the high-$50,000s to mid-$60,000s. New York and Washington stand out for median salaries above $66,000, while their employment levels are smaller than California’s. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ post the highest opportunity scores, both above 77, with median salaries of $77,070 and $70,120 respectively. Other strong metros include San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, offering varied combinations of salary, opportunity score, and employment size.
The typical education requirement for first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the role accessible to individuals who may not have a college degree but are ready to take on supervisory responsibilities. While formal education requirements are relatively modest, the occupation leans heavily on a robust skill set. Important skills include project management and leadership for organizing crews and guiding daily work, along with speaking and listening to communicate effectively with team members. Science and mathematics skills, combined with mechanical ability and fine motor skills, support the technical aspects of the work. Physical strength and stamina are important for handling the demands of farming, fishing, or forestry environments. Critical and analytical thinking, as well as problem solving and decision making, help supervisors address operational challenges and make sound judgments in real time.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
