Times sure have changed with marijuana. Less than 10 years ago, if you made pot brownies, you’d be doing so with the curtains drawn and incense burning. If you wanted to drive your slamming new strand of ganja to customers across town, you’d get arrested. Today, you can put “edibles chef” on your LinkedIn, get hired as a brand ambassador or be a cannabis delivery driver.
Marijuana laws are changing rapidly across the entire United States, with many states fully legalizing or decriminalizing the plant. And where it’s legal, there’s money to be made — legally, and with benefits. Also, during this time, many online resources have been developed, such as https://askgrowers.com/cbd/flower, which helps people learn more about hemp products and choose the best option for themselves. The cannabis industry has provided all kinds of new positions, and many of them are high-paying. And as the cannabis industry grows, so, too, does the number of job openings in the field.
These 25 cannabis industry jobs are the coolest, highest-paying and most in-demand ones in the field. We’ve included entry-level job openings as well as executive positions for a wide range of marijuana industry careers so you can get a high-level look at just how much this burgeoning new field has to offer.
What a Cannabis Sales Rep Does
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Cannabis sales reps work just like other sales reps — they’re there to establish a partnership between the grower and the distributor. Sales reps visit storefronts, mingling with business owners and store managers, working to get their company’s product ordered and on that businesses’ shelves.
Like other industries, cannabis sales reps can be paid a base salary, be 100 percent commission-based, or both. Typically, though, sales reps make most of their money through commission (around 5 percent of sales) as well as bonuses. Travel is required. We’ve seen cannabis sales rep jobs offering as little as $20,000 to jobs offering $100,000 or more, although that’s commission-based and theoretical.
According to Cannabiz Team, cannabis sales reps made between $50,000 and $69,000 in 2020.
What an Agronomist Does
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Agronomists are expert growers. They’re soil experts and know how to grow, cultivate and genetically alter marijuana plants for new kinds of strains. Also known as “crop doctors,” (or in this case, “weed doctors”), they’re responsible for improving crop yield and durability.
Agronomists need a strong knowledge of chemistry, biology, earth science and other related fields. According to Cannabiz Team, agronomists had a 7 percent increase in median salary from 2019 to 2020, from $80,500 to $86,750.
What a Master Grower/Director of Cultivation Does
Master growers are in charge of the cultivation of marijuana plants. Essentially, a plant’s potency, its ability to thrive and everything else related to growing and cloning the plants are up to the master grower. They’re vital to a company’s operation, so they’re paid well.
Master growers must have a background in horticulture and usually need experience managing a greenhouse. Smaller operations, where there might be a yield of only 20 pounds a month, will pay less for master growers. Large-scale operations at an established company are the way to go.
According to Cannabiz Team, this job had 16 percent median increase in salary from 2019 to 2020, making it one of the top cannabis industry jobs with the most salary growth.
