What Do Farm or Ranch Manager Do?
Occupation Description 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.
Farm or Ranch Manager Responsibilities
- Negotiate with buyers for the sale, storage, or shipment of crops or livestock.
- Monitor activities such as irrigation, chemical application, harvesting, milking, breeding, or grading to ensure adherence to safety regulations or standards.
- Analyze market conditions to determine acreage allocations.
- Evaluate marketing or sales alternatives for farm or ranch products.
- Operate or oversee the operations of dairy farms that produce bulk milk.
- Select or purchase machinery, equipment, livestock, or supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizer, or chemicals.
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What a Farm or Ranch Manager Should Know
When polled, Farm and Ranch Managers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Other Farm or Ranch Manager Job Titles
- Fruit Raiser
- Fruit Farmer
- Assistant Farm Operations Manager
- Sugar Cane Planter
- Game Bird Farmer
Farm or Ranch Manager Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 1,028,700 jobs for Farm or Ranch Manager in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Farm or Ranch Manager. The BLS estimates 74,300 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Farm or Ranch Manager are Oregon, Nevada, and Massachusetts. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, California, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Farm or Ranch Manager Make?
Farm and Ranch Managers make between $35,440 and $136,940 a year.

Farm and Ranch Managers who work in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, or North Carolina, make the highest salaries.
How much do Farm and Ranch Managers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Arizona | $75,870 |
Arkansas | $67,520 |
California | $91,670 |
Florida | $71,880 |
Georgia | $84,110 |
Idaho | $60,470 |
Illinois | $66,820 |
Indiana | $64,030 |
Iowa | $82,070 |
Kentucky | $78,290 |
Louisiana | $75,170 |
Maryland | $89,660 |
Massachusetts | $65,710 |
Michigan | $67,030 |
Minnesota | $95,000 |
Missouri | $62,850 |
Nebraska | $67,190 |
Nevada | $90,900 |
North Carolina | $100,370 |
Ohio | $78,330 |
Oklahoma | $57,230 |
Oregon | $68,450 |
Pennsylvania | $90,650 |
South Carolina | $79,070 |
Tennessee | $60,490 |
Texas | $81,330 |
Virginia | $84,630 |
Washington | $86,640 |
Wisconsin | $72,550 |
Wyoming | $84,720 |
What Tools do Farm and Ranch Managers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Farm and Ranch Managers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Email software
- SAP
- Global positioning system GPS software
- Payroll software
- Geographic resources analysis support system GRASS
- MapInfo
- ESRI ArcPad
- John Deere Apex Farm Management
- Ag Leader Technology SMS Advanced
- Midwest MicroSystems Cow Sense
- CDA International Manifold System
- SST Development Group SSToolbox
- Cattlesoft CattleMax
- Global Mapper Software Global Mapper
Becoming a Farm or Ranch Manager
What education is needed to be a Farm or Ranch Manager?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Farm or Ranch Manager?

Where Farm and Ranch Managers Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Farm and Ranch Managers employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Billy Hathorn via Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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