U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPurchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,370 | 3.5 % | $28.74 | $59,770 | 1.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $15.29 | $20.15 | $26.79 | $35.09 | $45.28 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $31,800 | $41,920 | $55,720 | $72,980 | $94,180 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers | 1,820 | 0.25 | $30.29 | $62,990 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 1,310 | 1.75 | $29.18 | $60,690 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 870 | 0.04 | $33.04 | $68,710 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 810 | 0.09 | $30.96 | $64,390 |
| Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers | 700 | 0.21 | $26.52 | $55,160 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 1,310 | 1.75 | $29.18 | $60,690 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | 220 | 0.43 | $27.11 | $56,390 |
| Tobacco Manufacturing | 40 | 0.32 | $36.81 | $76,560 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | 190 | 0.31 | $32.06 | $66,680 |
| Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers | 1,820 | 0.25 | $30.29 | $62,990 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 60 | 0.02 | $39.58 | $82,320 |
| Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage | (8) | (8) | $37.15 | $77,280 |
| Tobacco Manufacturing | 40 | 0.32 | $36.81 | $76,560 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 870 | 0.04 | $33.04 | $68,710 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 70 | 0.07 | $32.43 | $67,450 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 970 | 0.07 | 0.85 | $31.93 | $66,410 |
| Illinois | 660 | 0.12 | 1.47 | $28.41 | $59,100 |
| Pennsylvania | 420 | 0.07 | 0.94 | $28.87 | $60,050 |
| Missouri | 420 | 0.16 | 2.02 | $27.39 | $56,970 |
| Nebraska | 410 | 0.45 | 5.67 | $32.11 | $66,790 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 260 | 0.66 | 8.29 | $25.47 | $52,990 |
| Nebraska | 410 | 0.45 | 5.67 | $32.11 | $66,790 |
| North Dakota | 150 | 0.37 | 4.62 | $31.05 | $64,590 |
| Idaho | 180 | 0.30 | 3.71 | $23.45 | $48,780 |
| Iowa | 370 | 0.25 | 3.18 | $28.87 | $60,050 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 280 | 0.24 | 3.03 | $36.93 | $76,810 |
| Massachusetts | 220 | 0.07 | 0.86 | $35.76 | $74,370 |
| Colorado | 60 | 0.03 | 0.33 | $34.47 | $71,690 |
| Montana | 50 | 0.11 | 1.35 | $34.17 | $71,080 |
| South Carolina | 80 | 0.04 | 0.56 | $33.08 | $68,800 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 360 | 0.10 | 1.23 | $28.28 | $58,810 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 240 | 0.19 | 2.41 | $34.59 | $71,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 220 | 0.06 | 0.70 | $34.28 | $71,310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 180 | 0.08 | 1.01 | $32.10 | $66,760 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 160 | 0.03 | 0.40 | $29.55 | $61,460 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 140 | 0.31 | 3.92 | $40.72 | $84,690 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 140 | 0.08 | 0.95 | $28.04 | $58,320 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 140 | 0.08 | 1.00 | $37.24 | $77,460 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 130 | 0.09 | 1.14 | $27.43 | $57,050 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 120 | 0.19 | 2.39 | $23.31 | $48,480 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 60 | 0.90 | 11.36 | $38.48 | $80,040 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 60 | 0.50 | 6.22 | $31.34 | $65,190 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 40 | 0.31 | 3.89 | $27.04 | $56,250 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 140 | 0.31 | 3.92 | $40.72 | $84,690 |
| Boise City-Nampa, ID | 80 | 0.30 | 3.71 | $17.75 | $36,910 |
| Salinas, CA | 40 | 0.24 | 3.03 | $39.12 | $81,380 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 100 | 0.21 | 2.62 | $29.15 | $60,620 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 70 | 0.21 | 2.58 | $31.91 | $66,370 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 120 | 0.19 | 2.39 | $23.31 | $48,480 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 240 | 0.19 | 2.41 | $34.59 | $71,950 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | (8) | (8) | (8) | $47.68 | $99,180 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 140 | 0.31 | 3.92 | $40.72 | $84,690 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 110 | 0.12 | 1.46 | $39.15 | $81,420 |
| Salinas, CA | 40 | 0.24 | 3.03 | $39.12 | $81,380 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 60 | 0.90 | 11.36 | $38.48 | $80,040 |
| Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division | (8) | (8) | (8) | $38.29 | $79,640 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 70 | 0.19 | 2.38 | $37.39 | $77,760 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 140 | 0.08 | 1.00 | $37.24 | $77,460 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division | 50 | 0.05 | 0.58 | $35.11 | $73,030 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 240 | 0.19 | 2.41 | $34.59 | $71,950 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.95 | 11.93 | $25.08 | $52,160 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.79 | 9.96 | $24.00 | $49,920 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.23 | 2.87 | $25.45 | $52,950 |
| Central Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.82 | 10.28 | $26.78 | $55,710 |
| Northeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.70 | 8.81 | $27.83 | $57,890 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 1.74 | 21.85 | $24.87 | $51,730 |
| Southeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.04 | 13.10 | $31.70 | $65,940 |
| Eastern South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.95 | 11.93 | $25.08 | $52,160 |
| Southcentral Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.90 | 11.28 | $28.31 | $58,880 |
| Central Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.82 | 10.28 | $26.78 | $55,710 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $35.96 | $74,790 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.48 | 6.03 | $34.21 | $71,170 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.19 | 2.39 | $33.40 | $69,470 |
| Southeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.04 | 13.10 | $31.70 | $65,940 |
| Southern Oregon & Linn County nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.51 | 6.36 | $31.48 | $65,480 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2012 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2013
