Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning) — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) industry earns $52,010 per year ($25.00/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Postharvest Crop Activities Workers Earn?
At $52,010/year (equivalent to $25.00/hour for a full-time worker), postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) business employs 38 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) business generating $8.8M/year with 38 employees at $52,010 each, total payroll represents roughly 22.3% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning)business, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $67,613/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 38 employees = ~$1,976,380/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $25.00/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $8.8M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning) revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) employees make?
- The average postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) employee earns $52,010 per year, which is equivalent to $25.00/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) industry?
- The postharvest crop activities (except cotton ginning) industry employs 84,774 workers across 2,246 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 38 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).