SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The cannabis cultivation market in the U.S. will generate nearly $360 billion by 2027, up from $141 billion in 2020, according to analysts at Grand View Research. Increasing legalization and consumer demand will drive the growth.
As the market grows, so will the need for skilled employees, said Liesl Bernard, chief executive officer at staffing firm CannabizTeam. But there’s even more good news for cultivation workers: Salaries are on the rise, too.
The CannabizTeam report “2021 Cannabis Cultivation Salaries & Trends” reveals executive compensation in the sector rose by double digits in 2021: The median salary for a vice president of cultivation increased 11 percent, from $189,000 to $209,150; for a director of cultivation, the median rose by 10 percent, from $127,500 to $139,750. Plant breeders’ median salaries also rose by 10 percent, from $71,350 to $78,400.
On the other end of the scale, trimmers’ median pay increased by 5 percent, from $32,250 to $34,000.
All figures represent nationwide averages.
The report also notes talent from agricultural giants Bayer, John Deere, Archer-Daniels-Midland, and Cargill is migrating to cannabis in increasing numbers.
The expected explosion in cultivation revenues over the next five years “means enormous possibility for job creation and compensation increases,” Bernard said. “We see vast opportunities for entry-level candidates.”
