---
title: "Combine Harvester Operators Earn Up to 60,000 UAH: Wages in Ukraine's Agri-Sector Rose Nearly 48% in a Year"
description: "The median wage in Ukraine's agri-sector in July 2026 reached 32,500 hryvnias, up nearly 48% in a year. Combine harvester operators earn the most — up to 60,000 hryvnias — while seasonal workers saw a more than threefold increase."
date: 2026-08-20T06:32:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/combine-harvester-operators-up-to-60000-uhw-wages-ukraine-agri-sector-rose-48-year
tags: [agriculture, wages, ukraine, harvest, labor-market]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Combine Harvester Operators Earn Up to 60,000 UAH: Wages in Ukraine's Agri-Sector Rose Nearly 48% in a Year

![Combine harvesters working in a field during harvest season — rising wages for operators in the Ukrainian agri sector up to 60,000 hryvnias](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/20/zarplaty-v-agrosektore-ukrainy-2026/zarplaty-v-agrosektore-ukrainy-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The median wage in the agri-sector in July 2026 was 32,500 hryvnias, up nearly 48% from July 2025 (22,000 hryvnias).
- Combine harvester operators lead in pay: median of 60,000 hryvnias; seasonal workers and berry pickers grew more than threefold, to 37,500 hryvnias.
- The highest number of vacancies is in Kyiv Oblast (75), followed by Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava (33 each), Odesa (29), and Zhytomyr (21).
- Wage growth does not fully close the labor shortage: some high-paying positions remain without candidates.

Ukraine's agri-sector is undergoing a significant wage review in 2026: employers are increasingly competing for workers with practical skills and experience, and in some cases seasonal staff are being offered amounts well above last year's levels. According to OLX Work data, cited by RBC-Ukraine, the median wage in the "Agriculture/Forestry and Agribusiness" category in July 2026 stood at 32,500 hryvnias. A year earlier, in July 2025, this figure was 22,000 hryvnias, meaning growth of nearly 48%.

### A 48% Jump: What Is Happening to Wages in the Agri-Sector

This trend stands out against the broader backdrop: the average wage in Ukraine in June 2026 rose by only 5.9%, reaching 32,783 hryvnias. Thus, in year-on-year terms, the agri-sector outpaces the national indicator in wage growth by more than eightfold. Experts attribute this to the seasonal need of businesses to attract staff during narrow periods of the year — the harvest campaign, fruit and berry picking, timber harvesting — as well as to a shortage of workers willing to perform operations requiring specific practical skills.

### Who Earns the Most: Combine Harvester Operators and Seasonal Workers

Combine harvester operators remain the leaders in pay among individual professions: their median wage in July 2026 is 60,000 hryvnias. The sharpest jump was recorded for seasonal workers and berry pickers — from 12,125 hryvnias in 2025 to 37,500 hryvnias in 2026, i.e. more than a threefold increase. Sawmill workers and lumberjacks saw growth of almost 2.7 times — from 12,500 to 33,750 hryvnias. Tractor drivers were offered an average of 36,250 hryvnias in July 2026, compared with 25,000 a year earlier, a 45% increase. A more moderate trend is characteristic of general laborers (growth of about 18%, from 20,000 to 23,500 hryvnias) and foresters (15%, to 48,750 hryvnias).

### Regional Map of Job Vacancies

Geographically, demand for agricultural labor is concentrated in certain regions. Among the analyzed regions, the highest number of current vacancies in agriculture and forestry was recorded in Kyiv Oblast — 75 offers. This is followed by Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava Oblasts with 33 vacancies each, Odesa Oblast — 29, and Zhytomyr Oblast — 21. This distribution reflects both the structure of sown areas and the logistics of harvest campaigns, where machinery and operators migrate between farms.

### Labor Shortage: Higher Pay Does Not Close the Gap

At the same time, wage increases do not automatically solve the problem of a shortage of hands. As noted in industry publications, a number of high-paying vacancies in the agri-sector still remain unfilled: employers compete not only on money but also on living conditions, work schedules, and guarantees of seasonal employment. This means that even with a median of 60,000 hryvnias for combine harvester operators, some positions are filled with a delay, creating risks for the timing and volume of the harvest during peak periods.

### Context: The Agri-Sector Against the Backdrop of the Country's Average Wage

For comparison: in June 2026 the average wage in Ukraine was 32,783 hryvnias, with growth of 5.9%, and income levels vary significantly depending on region and field of activity. The median in the agri-sector (32,500 hryvnias in July) has virtually caught up with the national average, which in itself indicates a structural shift: agriculture is transforming from a traditionally "low-paid" segment into one of the most competitive in terms of pay. Separately, RBC-Ukraine noted that from 1 September 2026 teachers' wages are to rise by a further 20%, and by 50% overall compared with 2025, which will create additional competition for labor between sectors.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Wages in the agri-sector rose by 48%: how much combine harvester operators and seasonal workers are paid](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zarplati-agrosektori-zrosli-48-skilki-platyat-1787207301.html) - Первичный источник: медиана 32 500 грн (+48%), комбайнеры 60 000 грн, сезонники 12 125→37 500 грн, трактористы 25 000→36 250 грн, региональная карта вакансий.
- [Wages in the agri-sector rose by 48%: how much workers are paid](https://dengi.ua/career/9762089-zarplaty-v-agrosektore-vyrosli-na-48-procent-skolko-platyat-rabotnikam) - Согласовано с RBC по ключевым цифрам роста и категориям профессий.
- [Who in Ukraine is offered the highest wages — an OLX study.](https://minfin.com.ua/2026/05/26/174599654/) - Подтверждено по источнику minfin.com.ua
- [Wages up to 60,000 UAH, but vacancies remain without candidates: one of the sectors in Ukraine is experiencing ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/economy/zarplatyi-do-60-tyis-grn-no-vakansii-ostayutsya-bez-kandidatov-odna-iz-sfer-v-ukraine-perezhivaet-kadrovyij-golod.htm) - Подтверждает уровень до 60 тыс. грн и добавляет контекст о кадровом голоде и незакрытых вакансиях.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How much, on average, do people earn in Ukraine's agri-sector in July 2026?
**A:** The median wage in the "Agriculture/Forestry and Agribusiness" category in July 2026 was 32,500 hryvnias, nearly 48% higher than the July 2025 figure (22,000 hryvnias).

### Q: Which profession in the agri-sector is paid the most?
**A:** Combine harvester operators remain the leaders: their median wage in July 2026 is 60,000 hryvnias.

### Q: Whose wages grew the most over the year?
**A:** The sharpest growth was for seasonal workers and berry pickers: from 12,125 hryvnias in 2025 to 37,500 hryvnias in 2026, i.e. more than threefold. Sawmill workers and lumberjacks grew almost 2.7 times, to 33,750 hryvnias.

### Q: In which regions are there the most vacancies in the agri-sector?
**A:** The highest number of current vacancies was recorded in Kyiv Oblast — 75. Then Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava Oblasts (33 each), Odesa (29), and Zhytomyr (21).