David Krejci is the executive vice-president of the Grain Elevator and
Processing Society. He estimates that there are 14,000 grain elevator operators
in the U.S.
He says this is not a high-growth occupation. "This is an ancient industry.
The infrastructure for grain handling is well established. Due to technology,
there are fewer people working. It has become less labor-intensive as the
industry struggles to remain efficient," he says.
"Companies are consolidating. They are changing the way they do business
and the types of facilities they run. The jobs out there are becoming larger,
and require management and technical skills. But there will be fewer of them."
Krejci says wages would vary, depending on the company and on the nature
of the work to be done.
He says $30,000 to $40,000 would be average. But at the higher end, some
may be paid as much as $100,000.
"It depends on the market, the facility, the mix of operations, on how
the job is structured and whether or not the manager is also involved in other
aspects of the facility or provides other agricultural input," he says.
Earnings and employment information from the U.S. Department of Labor is
not available for this field at this time.