Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
SOC Code: 11-9013
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers carries a 28% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $87,980 and -1.3% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 836,100 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 28% AI exposure, Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers sits 9 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 23% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
60/100
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A- $87,980
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -1.3%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) B+ 28% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Slow growth (245 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
28% Among the lowest lower than 77% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 11-9013) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
- 2. Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
- 3. Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
- 4. Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
- 5. Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
- 6. Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
- 7. Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
- 8. Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
- 9. Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.
- 10. Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Knowledge Areas
- Administration and Management
- Production and Processing
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Food Production
- Economics and Accounting
- Sales and Marketing
- Mechanical
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers has an AI exposure score of 28%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers is projected to decline by 1.3% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 836,100 workers.
What skills are needed for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
Key skills for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers earn?
The median annual wage for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers is $87,980, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
The typical entry-level education for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect 5 years or more of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers?
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (28% here).
- Acupuncturists · AI exposure 28%
- Advertising and promotions managers · AI exposure 28%
- Agricultural inspectors · AI exposure 28%
- Carpenters · AI exposure 28%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-1.3% here).
- Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians · growth -1.3%
- Logging equipment operators · growth -1.4%
- Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators · growth -1.2%
- Legal support workers, all other · growth -1.2%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 21 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).