At a glance

This page gives you a high-level overview of the Australian agricultural workforce.

258,900

people are employed in agriculture in their main job, representing 1.8% of the Australian workforce¹

75.9%

are employed full-time¹

32.7%

of the workforce is female¹

44.7%

of employees were in casual employment (excludes owner managers)²

$1,200

is the median weekly earnings in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry²

years is the median worker’s age³

¹ As of May 2025 (Source: ABS 2025, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed)
² As of August 2024 (Source: ABS 2024, Characteristics of Employment, Australia)
³ As of August 2021 (Source: ABS 2021, Age (AGEP) by Industry of Employment (INDP) [Census TableBuilder])

Trends over time

Dive into a data detailed factsheet that aims to help foster a deeper understanding of the agricultural landscape, recognising the pivotal role that the workforce plays in this sector, and its broader contributions to the economy. At a glance, you will be able to compare trends in agricultural employment across various indicators.

Key highlight (as of July 2025)

In May 2025, the full-time share of employment in agriculture increased to 75.9%, its highest level in three years.

Download the factsheet

For more, read ABARES agricultural workforce research and visit agricultural workforce data sources.