Cannabis Jobs Overview
If you want to work in an industry with high growth potential and above-average salaries, you might want to take a look at the cannabis industry. With recreational use of cannabis becoming legal in more and more states and territories and its medical counterpart legalized in even more, the number of cannabis jobs in the U.S. is steadily increasing. In fact, experts predict the number of jobs in the cannabis industry to nearly double over the next five years to close to 750,000 jobs.
Companies in the cannabis industry need employees in traditional positions, including sales, finance, business management, marketing, and more. But they also have jobs to fill that are exclusive to growing and selling cannabis, including:
- Bud trimmer jobs: These entry-level workers trim plants during harvest season.
- Extraction technician jobs: Extraction technicians turn plants into CBD oil, hashish, and other products.
- Dispensary jobs: Many people work in a dispensary—a retail cannabis store.
- Budtender jobs: Budtenders work in a dispensary, helping customers find the best products for them.
- Edibles jobs: The cannabis industry needs skilled chefs to create cannabis-infused food.
- Cannabis grower jobs: From tending the fields to master grower positions, cannabis growing is the foundation of the cannabis industry.
- Research and laboratory jobs: Chemists analyze the cannabis plant to develop more efficient growing and extraction techniques and to analyze each batch for safety before product is sold.
If you’ve got a green thumb and working in farming jobs interests you, you can expand your search to related jobs such as:
Cannabis Jobs Education and Training
Yes, you can major in cannabis. Cannabis chemistry (CANN) is now officially recognized as a chemistry subdivision by the American Chemical Society. Northern Michigan University was the first to offer a four-year degree in medicinal plant chemistry, which prepares students for jobs in the production, analysis, and testing of cannabis. More colleges have followed suit, and several have established research centers like the Cannabis and Hemp Research Center at the University of California, Davis.
You’ll also need a four-year degree to work in management jobs in the cannabis industry such as in finance, marketing, sales, and business management. Less formal education is needed for retail and farming jobs that will include on-the-job training.
You can also take classes from online or for-profit organizations in specialty areas:
- Cannabis business programs cover regulatory requirements and how to manage dispensaries.
- Horticulture classes discuss how to grow marijuana.
- Budtender school is like bartender school—you’ll learn about the various strains of marijuana and about cannabis-derived products like edibles and CBD oil so you can help customers choose the products that best suit their needs.
- Cannachef classes are offered by traditional culinary schools like the American Culinary Federation to teach how to infuse food and drinks with CBD (cannabidiol) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Cannabis Work Permits
Dispensary employees need cannabis work permits in some states. To find out if you need one, check with your state’s board of pharmacy.
Update Your Cannabis Resume
Whether you’re applying for a job at a dispensary or another type of cannabis-related business, take a look at how you could spruce up your resume. For example, have you showcased your best skills? If not, take a look at the sample resumes in the Monster Library to see what else you might like to add.
Give your resume a professional introduction by polishing your cover letter. Not sure where to begin? You can learn how to format and write an effective cover letter by browsing all the cover letter writing tips on Monster
Interviewing for a Cannabis Job
A job interview can be a little intimidating—even in the cannabis industry. One way to calm your jitters is to practice in a mock interview. To make your practice session feel realistic, read Monster’s article about how to answer the most common interview questions.
How Much Do Cannabis Jobs Pay?
The cannabis industry has added a bunch of new job titles to the mix. So how do you know what a budtender makes? Depending on experience, that number is around $11 per hour to $42,000 per year. The salaries for edibles jobs range from $40,000 to $90,000 a year, while master growers can make even more, with a salary of $100,000 plus a percentage of profits in some businesses.
For more traditional job titles like store manager, you can use Monster’s Salary Tools to find out what salary to expect in your area. Keep in mind that the median salary for cannabis jobs is around 10% higher than the overall median salary in the U.S.
Want to Learn More About a Company You’re Interested In?
Monster’s Company Profiles are a way to learn about a company before you apply or interview. This can help you determine if the job is a good fit. Plug in a company name, and if they’re in our database, you’ll learn things like:
- how many people they employ.
- how long they’ve been in business.
- if they sell edibles and CBD products along with marijuana flower.
Launch Your Budding Career at Monster
Are you ready to see what cannabis jobs are available in your area? You’re on the right page. Click around to see what’s out there. Then, take a minute to create a profile on Monster. After you upload your resume, recruiters and employers will be able to reach out to you with job opportunities and we’ll send you current job postings that match your search criteria.