Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Salary
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers in California make a median of $109,140 a year, or about $52.47 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $175K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $102,826 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 36.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $109K get you in California?
About farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $90K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 37.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $175K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers salary by metro in California
17 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa | $159K | +45% | 150 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $143K | +31% | 70 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $125K | +15% | N/A |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $123K | +13% | 130 |
| Salinas | $123K | +12% | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $111K | +2% | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $111K | +2% | 50 |
| Modesto | $110K | +0% | 60 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $109K | +0% | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $108K | -1% | 90 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $108K | -1% | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $108K | -1% | 60 |
| Fresno | $105K | -4% | 200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $103K | -5% | 80 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $102K | -7% | 100 |
| El Centro | $99K | -10% | 40 |
| Visalia | $98K | -10% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 17 metros
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 37.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,427/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural manager a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $109K here vs. $90K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
California pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers make in California?
The median is $109,140 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,790, and experienced farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers can clear $174,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,573/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 37.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers salary is worth about $102,826 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.