How much do growing jobs pay ?

Just wondering ? I have always had a notion that my career opportunities working for a company , as there lead grower or green house manger , would be a very meager salary "regardless of skill set" , So just wondering if anybody has herd of impressive or non impressive wages ,

Here in Colorado, you gotta get a badge from the state. I believe it requires residency for either one or two years. Once you have one, you can go trim for ten bucks an hour at a dispensary. If you have growing skills, you can move up. If you don't, someone else will.

A 'notion' to be the lead grower isn't going to get the job in hand; it's one of the most sought after jobs in the industry. Good ones can make big money- if they work in the right place.

There are plenty of grow jobs out there but the industry is driven solely by money. If you are a newbie you will start at the bottom trimming leaves and following orders. It can be very boring and not as much "fun" as one might think it is.

I have been offered "top" "lead" positions with a few places. I don't have a badge but it is required for the job. That being said, each of the companies I met with was willing to pay for my badge, etc. I turned down each of the offers. I wasn't impressed with their offerings.

When I think about it... I think when I get into the industry... it will be to change the industry.

WestDenverPioneer said:

There are plenty of grow jobs out there but the industry is driven solely by money. If you are a newbie you will start at the bottom trimming leaves and following orders. It can be very boring and not as much "fun" as one might think it is.

I have been offered "top" "lead" positions with a few places. I don't have a badge but it is required for the job. That being said, each of the companies I met with was willing to pay for my badge, etc. I turned down each of the offers. I wasn't impressed with their offerings.

When I think about it... I think when I get into the industry... it will be to change the industry.

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What were there offerings? Give us a ball park

http://denver.craigslist.org/search/jjj?query=grower&sort=rel
And of course if you're interested in the administrative part of it....
http://denver.craigslist.org/acc/5277219806.html
9 whole dollars an hour, that's lees than a trimmer makes, less than a burger flipper in you know where.
Every one moves here and those of us that have been here for awhile pay, my wage has dropped 5 dollars an hour over the past 5 years.
I don't grow weed for a living but that may change.
Send out some resumes, see what happens.

I'm not interested in it at all. No way!

Just assuming as much money as was in the business they'd pay something half respectable. That's pathetic. Makes me wonder where the money is going to.

Just wanted to know because so many people ask on here and I never knew.

Trimmer is not exactly requiring any skills what's so ever!

I'd figure the ones running a grow had a a hort degree and made at least 100k.

if you have the degree and can get to the right spot you will see 100k but, you gotta work your ass off and be in with the right people.

BM9AGS said:

I'm not interested in it at all. No way!

Just assuming as much money as was in the business they'd pay something half respectable. That's pathetic. Makes me wonder where the money is going to.

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Some companies are bringing in millions of dollars.... but they are also spending millions to operate. Some are profitable, some are not. Some companies offer benefits. Some companies are like chickens running around.

The industry is still in its infancy. Good paying jobs exist. However its not just the pay.... its the environment and the expectations of the position. You couldn't pay me enough to join certain companies.

BM9AGS said:

Trimmer is not exactly requiring any skills what's so ever!
I'd figure the ones running a grow had a a hort degree and made at least 100k.

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Aside from skills ANY job in the industry requires a "badge". It's more of a requirement than to work at fast food. But that doesn't mean it commands a higher pay rate. Trimmers should be paid more... or should they? It's an important job but its also takes an idiot to mess it up. I think trimmers will range from $10-15/hr depending on skill. Someone that can trim a pound faster than the person next to them is worth more.

Blackjack dealers in casinos are required to get "badges" also. They don't get paid shit either.

It's good to be the king.

In southern Colorado the pay is pretty pitiful in comparison to what you produce. I've never made more than $18/hr working for someone else. (Much better income as a consultant and wholesaler.) Expect to be paid $9.00 to $12.00 an hour as a budtender - mostly on the low end mind you. Expect about $10.00 to $15.00 an hour as a grower. Head growers may see salaries in the $40ks but the only people making the real money are nepotism coattail riders.

Simply put - we have enough carpetbaggers coming in who are willing to do any job for free. Most are dunderheads and get fired or leave because it is too hard or whatever. Companies see the steady flow of incoming applications and it doesnt really matter how well they pay or treat the employees.

It might be better to get a job making the same pay at the Target Distribution Center so you at least have regular hours.

The real money is not in the business of MMJ/Rec/Hemp but in the accessory businesses. Selling lights and fertilizers to dispensaries and teaching people how to grow plants is much more lucrative than trying to get a job working in a dispensary. Selling CO2 gas, RO water, dirt, advertising, whatever. Dispensary owners will pay whatever they have to get whatever whim they want at the time, even at the expense of the employees or if a contraption is a waste of money and space.

Then again, I have to say I am disappointed by the industry. I don't want to say there aren't genuinely good folks out there who are in the business; I simply haven't met many yet.

TheFuture said:

Then again, I have to say I am disappointed by the industry. I don't want to say there aren't genuinely good folks out there who are in the business; I simply haven't met many yet.

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Agreed.

TheFuture said:

The real money is not in the business of MMJ/Rec/Hemp but in the accessory businesses. Selling lights and fertilizers to dispensaries and teaching people how to grow plants is much more lucrative than trying to get a job working in a dispensary. Selling CO2 gas, RO water, dirt, advertising, whatever. Dispensary owners will pay whatever they have to get whatever whim they want at the time, even at the expense of the employees or if a contraption is a waste of money and space.

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Or something like this:

TheFuture said:

The real money is not in the business of Mining Gold but in the accessory businesses. Selling axes and shovels to miners and teaching people how to pan for gold is much more lucrative than trying to get a job working in a gold mine. Selling horses, maps, ropes, whatever. Mine owners will pay whatever they have to get whatever whim they want at the time, even at the expense of the employees or if a contraption is a waste of money and space.

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That all being said... there is also money to made in the industry as a "mine consultant" "miner" or to try to open your "own mine".

Giddyup.

Lol thats so funny being that I am a prospector too! Selling the miners those tools would also have been especially more lucrative during the Gold Rush.

I have my badge and worked at a Dispo in nor co, and it didnt matter if you had a degree, you were more favored if you had a degree, but the highest paid guy made only 15/hr to manage 7 people and 2500 plant garden. but the head grower, whos best friends with the owner, he makes bank, and he doesnt know shit, bsically working at a dispo is a joke, at every corner every day they are ready to fire you, for simple shit always walking on egg shells, people trying to sabotage work and blame it on others to look good, bunch of college shit heads who have no passion for weed but just like to smoke it and never worked a real job in their lives, needless to say my exp was bad, and ive continued to search else where...but most places the growers have a snobby attitude, and hardly know anything, they just feel entitled because they are in a warehouse grow. id love to work for another dispo that isnt full of shitheads..

Wizard speaks the truth. Colorado's cannabis industry is a mess.

I did not move to CO for the industry. I moved here for other reasons. However, I was expecting much more than what I found. Instead of falling in love with the industry (like many have), I have been turned off by it. It's like I'm standing next to a hot tub and I want to get in the hot tub. Everyone knows that the hot tub feels good. But I'm looking at the hot tub and all I see is murky water with scum circling at the surface and I'm like.... maybe I don't need to get in this tub.

It's also hard to even find a job if you are in the more rural areas. I have a badge and can't find a job in the industry at all. Most of the jobs in Southern Co seem to go mainly to friends or friends of friends.

The more I learn of the people in the industry the less I want to be involved unless I could run my own business, which cost a small fortune IF you can even get the permits. Legalizing didn't make the cannabis industry much better, it just handed control from the criminals to the crooks.

its mostly hard work for low pay to start, and yeah lots of times it is who knows who but there are jobs listed on craigs list all the time apply to everything that you think you can do or can do,. sometimes just getting in the industry(any way) is all you need to advance and make more money. .

Some companies are better to work for than others.
"Who you know" is a game played no matter where you are or what you are doing.

From my experience they pay as little as possible its no wonder why over half the stores have low quality. I can produce a better quality in my crappy apt with junk equipment than half the stores do but will they pay me to produce quality in their big high tech grows? Sure $15 an hour yea right. Seems like if your business was bud you would want the best quality but its become the American way to cheap out as much as possible in everyway and keep all the money. You might get lucky but I quit my bogus legal grow job, its a damn shame too but id rather do what I love at home for no pay than to get someone else rich off my knowledge and hard work for next to nothing.

dbkick said:

my wage has dropped 5 dollars an hour over the past 5 years.

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lol