How to Become a Beekeeper

Beekeeper Key Stats
Avg. Salary / year $37,850
Avg. Pay / hour $18.20
Education 3-4 Years
Job Outlook 0%
Total Employed 261,690

Beekeepers, also known as Apiarists, are specialized professionals that are responsible for the upkeep of several colonies of honey bees and hives that are maintained for the production of honey, beeswax and pollination efforts.

Individuals who want to become a Beekeeper will need a combination of experience, education and innate qualities to enter this field.

Individuals who want to enter this profession also need to be able to handle the stress and attention to detail needed to control not hundreds of colonies of bees all at once.

Education Requirements to Become a Beekeeper

Individuals who would like to become a Beekeeper will need to gain experience in order to seek a job in this profession.

Although not a requirement, many skilled Beekeepers are also prepared to join this field by securing a bachelor’s degree.

Interested individuals may begin their experience by securing an apprenticeship under an experienced Beekeeper.

Some larger production facilities also offer weekend or night classes for novice learners who want to become a Beekeeper or who are interested in it as a hobby.

Individuals who seek apprenticeship opportunities will learn the ropes of the Beekeeping trade by working closely with an experienced Beekeeper.

During an apprenticeship, individuals at the entry level will learn the basics on how to treat a colony of bees and be responsible for completing simple tasks under the eye of an experienced professional.

Individuals who want to pursue a postsecondary background to become a Beekeeper may complete a 4 year bachelor’s degree.

A limited number of schools offer programs that specialize in Beekeeping such as Cornell University and the University of Florida.

Many individuals enter this field by completing a 4 year bachelor’s degree in animal science, biological science or a similar related field.

If interested in conservationist efforts, individuals may also attend graduate school to study Agricultural Management and Entomology.

Beekeeper Job Description

Beekeepers keep to a busy schedule and may be required to work long hours during the summer peak season as warmer weather requires a careful eye on beehives and bee colonies.

This may require some individuals to work nights, weekends and holidays during this time.

Beekeepers are responsible for maintaining and handling honey bee colonies and hives for the pollination of flowers and production of honey; their job is to also maintain the overall health of a beehive and keep it in good condition.

Because a colony of bees can be dangerous and sometimes deadly, Beekeepers must maintain a level of safety before preparing for daily tasks.

Being protected does require professionals to wear safety gear such as: safety goggles, suits, veils and gloves.

This requires individuals to be covered from head to toe as to not allow room for even one stray bee to enter the suit.

In addition, Beekeepers use special tools such as hive tools and bee smokers to be able to access honey or beeswax that a hive produces.

Some Beekeepers may be responsible for the production and processing of honey as well as bottling the honey produced.

For the most part, these professionals will also be responsible for the following:

  • Feeding bees
  • Nurturing queen bees and replacing them when needed
  • Replacing combs when needed
  • Separating colonies when needed
  • Cleaning and building hives
  • Determine whether a hive is healthy and document observations
  • Document any activity, whether medication was administrated and the production of any honey

Beekeeper Salary and Career Path

The median annual wage for farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals, which includes the Beekeeper profession, was approximately $69,300 in 2012.

There are many factors that can impact exact wages including weather conditions.

If weather conditions affect the production of honey in any way, it can potentially affect a Beekeeper’s bottom line.

Exact wages will depend on production and the regional area a Beekeeper works in.

Job projections as a whole for farmers, rancher and other agricultural professionals is expected to decline by 19 percent through 2022.

However, this number is for this industry as a whole and the job outlook may look different due to the environmental changes that occur each year.

As consumers, the details of how honey or beeswax are produced are not common knowledge.

Individuals interested in pursuing a career as a Beekeeper will learn the ins and outs of this popular sweetener as well as having a hand in keeping an important species alive that’s needed for the cross pollination of plants and flowers.

BLSThe below information is based on the 2024 BLS national averages.

  • Annually
  • Monthly
  • Hourly

National Average Salary

$37,850
$32K
$34K
$37K
$38K
$46K
10%
25%
50%
75%
90%

Average Salary by State

StateAvg. Annual Salary
Alabama$33,360
Alaska$40,110
Arizona$35,650
Arkansas$32,660
California$38,440
Connecticut$39,430
Delaware$33,500
District of Columbia$43,240
Florida$31,550
Georgia$32,180
Hawaii$38,490
Idaho$34,260
Illinois$43,720
Indiana$39,470
Iowa$35,630
Kansas$35,000
Kentucky$32,820
Louisiana$31,530
Maine$46,210
Maryland$40,240
Massachusetts$43,910
Michigan$37,240
Minnesota$41,940
Mississippi$35,480
Missouri$38,770
Montana$41,850
Nebraska$44,760
Nevada$36,620
New Hampshire$35,550
New Jersey$39,790
New Mexico$33,940
New York$40,980
North Carolina$34,100
North Dakota$34,420
Ohio$36,860
Oklahoma$34,210
Oregon$36,170
Pennsylvania$38,480
Rhode Island$40,740
South Carolina$38,070
South Dakota$35,910
Tennessee$33,550
Texas$31,900
Utah$32,110
Vermont$40,090
Virginia$39,370
Washington$40,310
West Virginia$30,850
Wisconsin$36,920
Wyoming$43,410
Puerto Rico$22,120

The highest-paying state in this field is Maine, with an average salary of $46,210.

Here are the five states with the highest salaries in the field:

Maine - $46,210
Nebraska - $44,760
Massachusetts - $43,910
Illinois - $43,720
Wyoming - $43,410
* Salary information based on the May 2024 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse, OCC Code 45-2092, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a beekeeper?

A beekeeper is someone who keeps honey bees.

Honey bees produce honey and beeswax that are later sold on local, national and international markets.

Beekeepers also raise queen bees to sell to other farmers and help vegetable and fruit farms with the pollination process.

One of the daily tasks of a beekeeper is to build, inspect and repair hives.

Beekeepers also must know how to feed and check the health of their bees and how to monitor the size of a colony.

In order to be a successful beekeeper, you need strong organizational and planning skills and attention to detail.

You also need good physical fitness to be able to move the hives.

If you want to be self-employed you will also need good business skills.

How much does a beekeeper make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers was $67,950 in May of 2018.

Income in the beekeeping business varies depending on weather conditions.

Production levels fluctuate depending on the time of the year and the region.

Worker honey bees forage mostly in spring and summer months when plants are producing nectar and pollen.

How much does it cost to become a beekeeper?

If you want to get a job at a beekeeping business, a high school diploma will usually be enough.

There are no educational requirements for this profession, but many beekeepers have a degree in animal science, entomology, biology or a related field.

The average annual out-of-state costs for bachelor’s degree programs in entomology are around $45,500.

Many community colleges also offer beekeeping classes which usually cost a few hundred hours, as part of the community education programs.

What is the demand for beekeepers?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers is expected to show little or no change from 2018 to 2028.

However, the beekeeping market is growing and this may lead to a greater demand for beekeepers.

How long does it take to become a beekeeper?

Although it is not a requirement, a bachelor’s degree in animal science, biology or a related field, can help you learn the scientific aspects of beekeeping.

A bachelor’s degree in animal science can be completed in around four years.

Many community colleges also offer beekeeping classes as part of the community education programs.

There also many books and websites that explain the things you need to know about this business.

Learning from someone who has experience in this field is also a good idea.

Helping an experienced beekeeper with the daily administrative and production operations can help you gain hands-on experience.

If you want to open a business in the beekeeping field, a master’s degree in agribusiness can also be helpful.

You can start with only a few hives and then, as you learn more about this business, you can add more hives.

Jamie Willis
Career Specialist at BecomeopediaHi, my name is Jamie Willis, and I have been helping students find their perfect internships and education paths for the last ten years. It is a passion of mine, and there really is nothing better than seeing students of mine succeed with further studies.

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