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Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers vs. General and Operations Managers: Who Earns More?

General and Operations Managers out-earn Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers by $16K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers land at $89,900 and General and Operations Managers at $105,770. The education gap is real: farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural manager programs typically require bachelor's degree, while general and operations manager programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers is Nebraska ($111,460); for General and Operations Managers it's New Jersey ($173,690).

Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
General and Operations Managers
Median salary
$89,900
$105,770
Hourly rate
$43.22/hr
$50.85/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$54,320
$50,090
Senior level (90th %)
$160,020
$253,390
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
6,500
3,503,020
Job growth (10-year)
-1.3%
4.4%
Category
Management
Management
Top-paying state
Nebraska
New Jersey

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers median pay.

State
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
General and Operations Managers
California
$109,140
$124,390
Washington
$103,240
$133,750
Illinois
$99,440
$103,570
Georgia
$95,900
$103,730
Mississippi
$95,210
$106,680
New York
$89,370
$130,860
New Jersey
$86,380
$173,690
Wisconsin
$86,320
$118,730
Texas
$85,990
$103,230
Indiana
$83,100
$108,170
Oregon
$81,560
$103,490
Pennsylvania
$76,040
$103,130
Hawaii
$68,750
$108,180
Maryland
$67,600
$117,930
Virginia
$66,780
$122,080

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers or General and Operations Managers?

General and Operations Managers earn more nationally. The median is $89,900 for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers versus $105,770 for General and Operations Managers, a difference of $16K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers or General and Operations Managers?

General and Operations Managers has the better 10-year outlook at 4.4% projected growth, compared to -1.3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers or General and Operations Managers?

Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers typically requires bachelor's degree. General and Operations Managers requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers get paid the most?

Nebraska is the top-paying state for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers at $111,460/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers vs. General and Operations Managers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers earn $109,140 vs. $124,390 for General and Operations Managers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers salary breakdownView →Full General and Operations Managers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for General and Operations Managers by take-home payExplore →How to become a farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managersGuide →How to become a general and operations managersGuide →