Careers in Cranberry Farming
Grow your future with a wide variety of career opportunities
Cranberries are Massachusetts’ top food crop, supporting nearly 6,400 jobs, especially in the southeastern part of the state. The industry offers diverse, year-round career opportunities—from hands-on outdoor work to tech, research, and trades. Workers are needed for machinery operation, maintenance, fabrication, and advanced technologies like drones, robotics, and GIS.
Scientific roles also play a key part, with pest management scouts and researchers from institutions like the UMass Cranberry Station contributing vital expertise. Key qualities for success in this industry include: mechanical aptitude, strong work ethic, and adaptability.
Cranberry farming emphasizes on-the-job learning and values a variety of skills and experiences. It fosters a strong sense of community, a connection to nature, and provides opportunities for advancement, skill development, and work-life balance. While some roles are seasonal, many farms offer full-time, benefit-eligible positions with career growth potential.
- Administrative/Office Work
- Agritourism & Education
- Drone Piloting
- Engine Repair
- Equipment Operation
- Field Work/Laborer
- Foremen/Supervisory
- Integrated Pest Management
- Maintenance/Mechanics
- Metal Fabrication
- Power Equipment Technology
- Trucking
- Welding
Additional Resources
Cranberry Impact
Cranberries are native only to North America and southeastern Massachusetts is the birthplace of the commercial cranberry industry.
Cranberries are the No. 1 food crop in Massachusetts. The industry supports nearly 6,400 jobs and contributes an economic impact of $1.7 billion annually.
Cranberry growers farm more than 11,500 acres of cranberry bogs in southeastern Massachusetts. With 3-5 acres of support land for every acre of active bog, the cranberry industry protects 60,000 acres of open space.
Learn what's happening on cranberry farms this time of year:
Cranberry blossom season starts mid-June and growers hope for sunny days. Migratory and native bees pollinate the flowers and tiny fruit pin heads begin to form. With the warm weather, frost events lessen. Berries start to size in July and nutrients are applied to support the growing fruit. Growers irrigate as necessary and monitor for pests and rot. Cranberries will continue to grow in size and growers are monitoring for fruit quality. By late August the berries are starting to blush (turn red).