At a glance

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

285,600

people are employed in agriculture, representing 2.0% of the Australian workforce¹

73.0%

are employed full-time¹

33.1%

of the workforce is female¹

45.3%

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

$1,099

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

years is the median worker’s age³

¹ As of August 2024 (Source: ABS 2024, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed)
² As of August 2023 (Source: ABS 2023, Characteristics of Employment, Australia)
³ As of August 2021 (Source: ABS 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 October 2024)

Employment in agriculture increased by 30,900 people (12.1%) in the year to August 2024.

Download the factsheet

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