Occupations · Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 45-1011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 70% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $59,180 | 1,220 |
| Fresno, CA | $54,340 | 1,180 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $49,220 | 1,170 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | $49,750 | 940 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $53,610 | 810 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $50,050 | 610 |
| Napa, CA | $62,350 | 450 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $59,290 | 430 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $57,980 | 360 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $56,050 | 360 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,990 | 340 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $61,610 | 320 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Assign tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
- Record the numbers and types of fish or shellfish reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped.
- Monitor workers to ensure that safety regulations are followed, warning or disciplining those who violate safety regulations.
- Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, notifying veterinarians or managers as warranted.
- Observe fish and beds or ponds to detect diseases, monitor fish growth, determine quality of fish, or determine completeness of harvesting.
- Train workers in tree felling or bucking, operation of tractors or loading machines, yarding or loading techniques, or safety regulations.
- Treat animal illnesses or injuries, following experience or instructions of veterinarians.
- Train workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, and in the use of equipment.
- Train workers in techniques such as planting, harvesting, weeding, or insect identification and in the use of safety measures.
- Confer with managers to evaluate weather or soil conditions, to develop plans or procedures, or to discuss issues such as changes in fertilizers, herbicides, or cultivating techniques.
- Communicate with forestry personnel regarding forest harvesting or forest management plans, procedures, or schedules.
- Inspect crops, fields, or plant stock to determine conditions and need for cultivating, spraying, weeding, or harvesting.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2022-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2022-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 2
No longer listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| aquaculture harvesting manager | 1312.1 | close |
| farm manager | 6130.1 | close |
| aquaculture husbandry manager | 1312.2 | close |
| crop production manager | 6114.1 | close |
| aquaculture site supervisor | 3142.1.2 | broader |
| forestry technician | 3143.1 | broader |
| fruit production team leader | 6112.2 | broader |
| agronomic crop production team leader | 6111.1 | broader |
| equine yard manager | 6121.2 | broader |
| vineyard supervisor | 6112.2.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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