According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of November 9, 2022, 21 states have legalized cannabis for recreational adult use. Medical cannabis use is legal in 37 US states. However, these numbers may be changing quickly, as a study by Marijuana Business Daily says the state's transition time from medical to recreational cannabis use is steadily decreasing. Thus, the niche is constantly growing and requires new specialists.
Edubirdie decided to explore how open young people are to working in the cannabis industry, what employers have to offer, and where to get a cannabis education.
EduBirdie surveyed young people to understand whether they are open to working in the cannabis industry or consider this business taboo. We also tried to figure out if young people are ready to take marijuana-related studies in case this would be helpful for them as candidates to be considered for a job.
How Open Young People Are to Majoring and Working in Cannabis: Survey Results
In November 2022, we surveyed 2,168 young people aged 16-20 who are either high school students or graduates. 28% of the respondents are residents of states where cannabis is illegal for recreational and medical use. The rest (72%) live in states where marijuana is legal for recreational and/or medical use.
56% of interviewees said they wanted to take higher education courses, 18% did not intend to enroll, and the rest (26%) said they were unsure if they wanted to study further. 
Firstly, we asked young people if they would be open to working in the cannabis industry. 73% said yes without hesitation, 12% were negative, and the remaining 15% admitted that they cannot give a certain answer yet.
Interestingly, in states where cannabis is illegal, 60% of the respondents would work in the cannabis industry. In those states where cannabis is legal for recreational and/or medical use, 70% of students would apply for a cannabis job. Regardless of the laws in the state, there is very little difference in the results.
We also wondered if the respondents would take marijuana-related studies if having specific knowledge would give them the advantage of getting a job they desire in the cannabis industry. 73% of young people said they would attend school if it increased their chances of getting a job offer. 10% of the respondents were not sure if they wanted to get an academic background in cannabis, and 17% found it difficult to answer.
We also tried to understand what kind of jobs would interest young people: those that require direct work with marijuana (ex., budtender, trimmer, or cultivator) or indirect (law, marketing, IT, etc. but in the cannabis industry). 29% preferred working with the product directly, and 71% chose to have more traditional jobs within the industry.
Cannabis Jobs: Salary Ranges & Degree Requirements
Since the survey has shown that young people don't mind working in the cannabis industry, we decided to investigate the job market. According to the 2022 Leafly Jobs Report, annual job growth in the sector is up over 27% for five years in a row. And the growing number of vacancies in this niche provides employment opportunities for young professionals.
Which states have the most job openings for young people, what is the average annual pay in each state, which jobs are the highest paying, and which pay less? Does one need a degree to get a job, and where to get a cannabis education if needed?
To answer all the job-related questions, we have analyzed all job offers in the cannabis industry on indeed.com. We have analyzed the average number of open cannabis-related positions over the last 6 months (full-time, part-time, contract, and temporary) in each state. 
California is leading the way with 1,583 daily open positions on average, 900 in Florida, 692 in Michigan, 656 in Massachusetts, and 521 in Colorado. These are the states with the most vacancies in the industry. Illinois, Oregon, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Texas followed them into the top 10 of the most cannabis-friendly states regarding open positions.
Along with that, Wyoming was the state that welcomed the least cannabis industry vacancies, with only two openings open on average every day. Idaho (4), Nebraska (5), New Hampshire (5), and Alabama (8) also were among the states with the fewest openings.
We also calculated the average annual salary for all cannabis industry jobs in each state. To do this, we took the average of all positions. Salary estimates for job offers were mentioned in their hourly and annual amounts. We have unified the information given for the year rate. We did not include the positions with no remuneration specified. We determined the average rate if the job description had a salary range.
So Utah ($97,070), California ($94,820), Wyoming ($94,750), Florida ($81,740), and Indiana ($79,100) were the states with the highest average annual salaries across the industry. The lowest yearly compensation for cannabis employees was found in Louisiana ($25,230), Hawaii ($32,280), Georgia ($32,630), Texas ($35,070), and North Dakota ($35,500).
We wondered which states have the most demanding employers. So when analyzing job openings, we also looked at how many employers in the cannabis industry require at least a bachelor's degree from applicants. 
Employers in North Carolina turned to require a Bachelor's Degree the most. 96% of job openings had a degree as a must. 91% of Connecticut and 87% of Rhode Island employers would also like a bachelor's degree holder to join their teams. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, only 10% of jobs require a bachelor. Kansas (11%) and Montana (18%) are among the states that are not the most demanding for candidates' degrees.
Cannabis Salary Estimate Ranges by State
When choosing a future job, one pays attention to many factors, ranging from personal interests, education, and work schedule, to social guarantees and a team. At the same time, salary remains a critical factor.
In our study, we also paid attention to remuneration. For this purpose, we collected the average number of jobs in each state's specified salary range on indeed.com. We distinguished two ranges: $50,000 to $65,000 a year and $70,000 yearly or more.
The most job offers over $70,000 a year were found in Cali, followed by Illinois. Also, in Wyoming, despite having only 2 open positions daily on average, all of the openings offered more than $70,000 a year. In South Carolina, where we counted eight job openings on average, with three paying $70,000 or more. In New Hampshire, three of five openings, and in Idaho, three of four offered salaries above $70,000 a year.
The Most High-Paying & Lowest-Paying Jobs With Average Annual Salaries
It makes sense that some of the highest-paying jobs in the cannabis industry include management positions, such as General, Tax, Dispensary, Audit, Operations Manager, etc.
Among the highest-paying jobs in the cannabis industry are medical specialists (including physicians, osteopaths, psychiatrists, telehealth doctors, and nurses); pharmacists.
Entry-level laboratory specialists, lab technicians, and lab assistants might have lower salary estimates. Nevertheless, they are in demand in Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota.
Among the highest-paying positions are also those in marketing, namely marketing directors. Copywriters and social media specialists fall into the lower-paying categories.
There are also many open positions in the industry for sales positions. Sales executives and Directors of Sales are among the highest paid, and Sales Associates, respectively, in those where compensation will be low. Students or recent graduates can easily try out for entry-level positions.
Production and packaging and entry-level lab technicians are on the list of jobs you will get little money for. However, in Georgia and Indiana, Lab technicians are among the best-paying jobs, offering over $80,000 a year.
Office or administrative support positions, Cashiers, Consultants, Trimmers, and Budtenders are among those jobs that offer low salaries. However, we did find a job in Montana where Budtender is offered to pay $45,580 a year, which is the highest salary estimate for a Budtender in the US.
| State | The Most High-Paying Jobs With Average Annual Salaries | The Lowest-Paying Jobs With Average Annual Salaries |
|---|---|---|
|
Alabama |
Retail Sales Associate $22,880 Sales Associate $22,880 Sales Associate/ Bud Tender $29,120 |
Grower $83,180 Head Grower of Hydroponics $55,000 Dispensary Nurse, LPN $43,680 |
|
Alaska |
Cannabis Laboratory Technician $52,050 |
Budtender $29,120 |
|
Arizona |
General Manager $100,000 |
Production Associate $27,040 |
|
Arkansas |
Tax Manager $110,000 |
Facilities Technician $29,120 |
|
California |
Litigation Attorney $140,000 |
Metrc Operator $34,200 |
|
Colorado |
Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences $230,000 |
Budtender $29,120 |
|
Connecticut |
Commercial Real Estate Attorney $142,000 |
Packaging Specialist $32,000 |
|
Delaware |
LIMS Implementation Specialist $92,000 |
Dispensary Technician $30,160 |
|
Florida |
Medical Doctor $240,000 |
Assistant Grower $29,120 |
|
Georgia |
Field Service Technician $80,000 |
Customer Service Bud Tender/Cashier $16,640 |
|
Hawaii |
Algae Field Cultivation Supervisor $49,400 |
Medical Cannabis Trimmer $24,960 |
|
Idaho |
Sales Executive $105,414 |
Grower Accounting Specialist $51,500 |
|
Illinois |
Senior Vice President, Quality Assurance $178,000 |
Dispensary Security / Check-in Agent $26,200 |
|
Indiana |
Medical Marijuana Physician $395,200 |
Sales Associate $20,800 |
|
Iowa |
Director of Cultivation $96,650 |
Dispensary Associate $31,200 |
|
Kansas |
Executive and Personal Assistant $65,900 |
Optician $30,160 |
|
Kentucky |
Tree Grower $87,600 |
Dental Dispensary Associate $30,680 |
|
Louisiana |
Staff Pharmacist $105,040 |
Part time Hydroponic Grower $20,800 |
|
Maine |
Audit Manager $112,978 |
Budtender $31,800 |
|
Maryland |
Controller $99,350 |
Key Holder $29,680 |
|
Massachusetts |
Senior Full Stack Developer $135,000 |
Retail Salesperson $29,400 |
|
Michigan |
Laboratory Supervisor $135,000 |
Receptionist $27,350 |
|
Minnesota |
Pharmacist Part-Time $120,840 |
Patient Care Coordinator Part-Time $24,300 |
|
Mississippi |
Licensed Doctor $424,000 |
Budtender/Receptionist $21,730 |
|
Missouri |
Medical Doctor or Osteopath for Medical Marijuana Certifications $112,000 |
Cashier/Sales Associate $25,440 |
|
Montana |
Marketing Director $50,000 |
Budtender $25,440 |
|
Nebraska |
Associate Attorney $95,000 |
Social Media Coordinator $31,800 |
|
Nevada |
Outside Sales Representative $200,000 |
Budtender $21,000 |
|
New Hampshire |
Public Health Systems & Equity Bureau Chief (Admin IV) $89,500 |
Delivery Drivers $45,580 |
|
New Jersey |
Laboratory Director-Agriscience $135,000 |
Parking Lot Attendant $27,100 |
|
New Mexico |
VP of Operations $144,000 |
Cannabis Dispensary Budtender $25,440 |
|
New York |
Outpatient Psychiatrist $450,000 |
Dispensary Associate $28,900 |
|
North Carolina |
Attorney $140,000 |
Wellness Consultant $25,440 |
|
North Dakota |
Origination and Grower Services $58,600 |
Packaging Tech $31,800 |
|
Ohio |
Epicor Developer $96,500 |
Sales Associate $22,260 |
|
Oklahoma |
Lab Director $85,000 |
Budtender $22,260 |
|
Oregon |
Chief Financial Officer $200,000 |
Sales Representative $28,620 |
|
Pennsylvania |
Dispensary Pharmacist $137,800 |
Sterilization and Dispensary Clerk $26,500 |
|
Rhode Island |
Business Advisory Solutions (BAS) Manager $123,800 |
Budtender $28,400 |
|
South Carolina |
Cannabis Program Sales Manager $88,800 |
Production/Warehouse Associate $20,800 |
|
South Dakota |
Nurse Practitioner $124,800 |
Dispensary Agent (Budtender) $30,160 |
|
Tennessee |
Accounting Transformation Manager $117,000 |
Budtender/Shift Lead $20,800 |
|
Texas |
Physician (MD or DO) -Telemedicine Medical Cannabis $260,000 |
Sales Associate $22,880 |
|
Utah |
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse $208,000 |
Customer Service $24,960 |
|
Vermont |
Cannabis Control Board Compliance Agent $61,963 |
Harvest Associate $30,100 |
|
Virginia |
Doctor-Recommending Physician $208,000 |
Budtender $28,080 |
|
Washington |
Chief Financial Officer $120,000 |
Herbal Consultant (Budtender) $30,139 |
|
West Virginia |
Physician (MD or DO) $175,000 |
Retail Sales Associate $20,800 |
|
Wisconsin |
Wholesale And Distribution Sales Manager $50,400 |
Budtender $22,880 |
|
Wyoming |
Operations Manager $94,750 |
|
US States That Offer Majors in Cannabis
And now about cannabis education. Usually, employers do not require any special education in the cannabis field. For example, if you are going to work as an accountant or a brand manager, you will likely need to take traditional classes to get a job. But if you want to work in pharmacology or horticulture or increase your chances of getting a job offer in cannabis entrepreneurship, you should look into marijuana-related targeted classes._1670608062.png)
The state in which we found the most significant number of cannabis courses was Illinois. We identified 17 educational institutions with marijuana classes. Following Illinois comes New York with 13 options for cannabis studies. In Pennsylvania, we found eight courses to study cannabis. California (7) and Colorado (5) are close to the top five states that offer cannabis-related majors.
