Best First-Line Supervisors of Farming programs in California, ranked by enrollment
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related.
54 schools in California run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,428 people a year. The job pays a median of $56,280 in California across about 10,450 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in California that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
15 programs in California that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in California (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own California page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 01.0901In California → | 778 | 32.0% | 5 | $33,926 | $21,748 |
| 2 | CIP 03.0501In California → | 441 | 18.2% | 12 | $42,109 | $21,842 |
| 3 | CIP 01.0304In California → | 372 | 15.3% | 26 | $36,083 | $17,395 |
| 4 | CIP 01.0302In California → | 311 | 12.8% | 13 | $36,083 | $17,395 |
| 5 | CIP 01.1102In California → | 156 | 6.4% | 4 | $42,861 | $20,500 |
| 6 | CIP 01.1004In California → | 106 | 4.4% | 9 | $51,883 | $21,000 |
| 7 | CIP 01.0308In California → | 66 | 2.7% | 2 | $36,083 | $17,395 |
| 8 | CIP 01.0307In California → | 55 | 2.3% | 10 | $36,083 | $17,395 |
| 9 | CIP 01.1101In California → | 45 | 1.9% | 2 | $42,861 | $20,500 |
| 10 | CIP 01.0606In California → | 42 | 1.7% | 11 | $35,900 | $14,000 |
| 11 | CIP 01.0999In California → | 18 | 0.7% | 1 | $33,926 | $21,748 |
| 12 | CIP 03.0301In California → | 12 | 0.5% | 1 | $33,314 | $26,062 |
| 13 | CIP 01.0306In California → | 12 | 0.5% | 2 | $36,083 | $17,395 |
| 14 | CIP 01.0199In California → | 9 | 0.4% | 2 | $47,242 | $19,964 |
| 15 | CIP 01.0905In California → | 5 | 0.2% | 1 | $33,926 | $21,748 |
Top 25 schools in California
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 6 of the 54 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · 5 feeder programs | 421 | Animal Sciences, General | $32,309 | 86% | — | 42% |
| 2 | Reedley College Reedley, CA Public · 4 feeder programs | 344 | Forestry, General | — | 42% | — | — |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Public · 5 feeder programs | 333 | Animal Sciences, General | $33,879 | 86% | — | 31% |
| 4 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 133 | Animal Sciences, General | $37,349 | 68% | — | 75% |
| 5 | California State University - Chico Chico, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 114 | Animal Sciences, General | $33,387 | 63% | — | 93% |
| 6 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 111 | Animal Sciences, General | $40,311 | 57% | — | 95% |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt Arcata, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 81 | Forestry, General | $52,810 | 49% | — | 98% |
| 8 | College of the Sequoias Visalia, CA Public · 4 feeder programs | 77 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 39% | — | — |
| 9 | Modesto Junior College Modesto, CA Public · 5 feeder programs | 71 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 30% | — | — |
| 10 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA Public · 4 feeder programs | 58 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 45% | — | — |
| 11 | Merced College Merced, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 54 | Crop Production | — | 36% | — | — |
| 12 | Moorpark College Moorpark, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 44% | — | — |
| 13 | Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 45 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 21% | — | — |
| 14 | California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Agronomy and Crop Science | — | 59% | — | 97% |
| 15 | College of the Redwoods Eureka, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Forestry, General | — | 34% | — | — |
| 16 | Coalinga College Coalinga, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 40 | Crop Production | — | 43% | — | — |
| 17 | Hartnell College Salinas, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Crop Production | — | 40% | — | — |
| 18 | Citrus College Glendora, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Forestry, General | — | 41% | — | — |
| 19 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture | — | 75% | — | 66% |
| 20 | Feather River Community College District Quincy, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 29 | Horse Husbandry/Equine Science and Management | — | 35% | — | — |
| 21 | Ventura College Ventura, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Crop Production | — | 38% | — | — |
| 22 | Columbia College Sonora, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Forestry, General | — | 27% | — | — |
| 23 | Victor Valley College Victorville, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 24 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 62% | — | — |
| 24 | Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa, CA Public · 4 feeder programs | 23 | Viticulture and Enology | — | 37% | — | — |
| 25 | Yuba College Marysville, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production | — | 40% | — | — |
All 54 schools in California
Every school in California with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | Davis | Public | 421 | 5 |
| Reedley College | Reedley | Public | 344 | 4 |
| California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | Public | 333 | 5 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Pomona | Pomona | Public | 133 | 2 |
| California State University - Chico | Chico | Public | 114 | 2 |
| California State University - Fresno | Fresno | Public | 111 | 2 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt | Arcata | Public | 81 | 2 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | Public | 77 | 4 |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto | Public | 71 | 5 |
| Mt San Antonio College | Walnut | Public | 58 | 4 |
| Merced College | Merced | Public | 54 | 3 |
| Moorpark College | Moorpark | Public | 53 | 1 |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | Public | 45 | 3 |
| California State University - Monterey Bay | Seaside | Public | 43 | 1 |
| College of the Redwoods | Eureka | Public | 42 | 2 |
What first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers earn in California
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $59,320. California pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: California employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in California
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers page.
How to become a First-Line Supervisors of Farming
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in California
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 01.0101Agricultural Business and Management, General
- 01.0104Farm/Farm and Ranch Management
- 01.0199Agricultural Business and Management, Other
- 01.0301Agricultural Production Operations, General
- 01.0302Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production
- 01.0303Aquaculture
- 01.0304Crop Production
- 01.0306Dairy Husbandry and Production
- 01.0307Horse Husbandry/Equine Science and Management
- 01.0308Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
- 01.0310Apiculture(no graduates reported)
- 01.0399Agricultural Production Operations, Other
- 01.0401Agricultural and Food Products Processing
- 01.0604Greenhouse Operations and Management
- 01.0606Plant Nursery Operations and Management
- 01.0901Animal Sciences, General
- 01.0905Dairy Science
- 01.0906Livestock Management
- 01.0907Poultry Science
- 01.0999Animal Sciences, Other
- 01.1004Viticulture and Enology
- 01.1101Plant Sciences, General
- 01.1102Agronomy and Crop Science
- 03.0301Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
- 03.0501Forestry, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers programs in California.
What degree do you need to become a First-Line Supervisors of Farming?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Animal Sciences, General, which awarded 778 degrees in California in 2024-25, 32.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a First-Line Supervisors of Farming?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 15 programs to this occupation. The largest are Agricultural Production Operations, Animal Sciences, Forestry, Plant Sciences, plus 4 more. Together they graduate about 2,428 people a year in California.
How much do first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers earn in California?+
The median is $56,280 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 5.1% below the U.S. median of $59,320. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers growing?+
BLS projects a +2.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 8,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in California?+
54 institutions in California reported graduates from at least one of the 15 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Farm Supervisor, Hatchery Manager, Logging Supervisor, Harvesting Supervisor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 45-1011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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