Fallers vs First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: $52K vs $59K Median Pay

Fallers vs First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: what changes?

Consider Fallers if you want to use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage. Consider First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers if you would rather directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (less than 5 years).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Fallers and First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Fallers

National median pay (2025): $52,100
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 500

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 9.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Fallers brief

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

National median pay (2025): $59,320
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Assign tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 7,200

Know before you choose

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers has the edge on annual openings

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers is at 7,200 annual openings, compared with 500 annual openings for Fallers.

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers has the edge on projected growth

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers is at 3.8% projected growth, compared with -9.9% projected growth for Fallers.

Typical preparation differs.

Fallers: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers: High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers has the edge on median pay

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers is at $59,320, compared with $52,100 for Fallers.

27.3/ 100

Fallers

54.2/ 100

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence