The median total monthly income of tractor drivers (excluding bonuses) in Ukraine rose to 31,600 UAH by the end of 2025, which is 12% higher than in 2024, according to Agrohub, citing the results of the annual HR360 Benchmarking survey.
According to the study, the median salary of a tractor operator, including bonus payments, currently stands at 36,300 UAH per month. The overall growth in the payroll fund (PPF) in this segment was 5%, partly due to a labor shortage: the number of employees per 10,000 hectares decreased from 27 to 25.
Harvesting remains the most expensive operational activity in the agricultural sector. In 2025, the average pay for this work increased by 5%—to 383 UAH/hour. In second place in terms of income is spraying, at 320 UAH/hour (+8%); in third place is sowing, where rates rose by 14% to 271 UAH/hour. Rolling remains the least expensive operation—142 UAH/hour (+17%).
Analysts noted that there remains a severe shortage of multi-tasking specialists in the market. Only 0.5% of tractor operators are capable of simultaneously performing seeding, spraying, and harvesting. At the same time, each worker is responsible for an average of 3,700 hectares of cultivated land.
An analysis of compensation models shows the dominance of a combined form (fixed + piece-rate component + bonus), used by 76% of agricultural companies. Within this compensation structure, the fixed component accounts for 36%, the variable component for 53%, and the bonus component for 11%. Purely piece-rate pay remains in 21% of companies, while a fixed rate is found in only 2% of cases.
The age structure of the workforce shows a trend toward a younger workforce: the share of tractor operators under 25 has risen from 6% to 10% over the past three years. At the same time, the category of employees aged 55+ has decreased from 18% to 14%. The majority of employed specialists (52%) are people under the age of 45.
“The market is gradually shifting toward more complex compensation models. It is becoming critically important for companies not only to hire a tractor operator but also to retain them. That is why employers are increasing the fixed portion of income, which is a more effective tool in the competition for labor than simply raising piece-rate rates,” noted Dmytro Lebedev, Head of Agrohub HR360 Benchmarking.
The study also noted limited use of drones for spraying and desiccation—currently, just over 1% of all acreage is treated using UAVs. Meanwhile, agricultural holdings perform 89% of field work with their own equipment, while 11% is outsourced.
The Agrohub HR360 Benchmarking study of tractor operators’ incomes and job functions was conducted from January to October 2025 among 7 holding companies (41 field operations), employing 3,634 specialists.
