At a time when the Spanish countryside is struggling to attract young people, in jobs that they urgently need generational changea farmer and content creator known for his channel Cultivate and Start has decided to speak clearly: being a tractor driver is not a job without a future, nor is it condemned by technology. Quite the opposite. In his latest video, the farmer debunks myths and explains in detail what a tractor driver does, how much he earns and why it continues to be a profession with a future for those who know how to work with responsibility and judgment.
“Being a tractor driver is not just driving. A good tractor driver knows, among other things, how to hook and unhook the tractor machinery (shredders, atomizers, etc.), knows how to do different agricultural jobs such as plowing, crushing pruning remains, performing phytosanitary treatments with the turbo precisely and also doing small repairs or maintenance such as changing oils, greasing filters, etc.,” explains the farmer. “In short, it is not just driving around with a steering wheel, it is having judgment, responsibility and a global vision of the field,” he adds about a fairly tough profession, about which other more veteran tractor drivers have already spoken.
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This is how you start: from day laborer to tractor driver
For those who do not have enough experience or money, this agricultural content creator is clear: you have to start from the bottom, in an agricultural company, doing basic tasks such as pruning or applying herbicides. “If you show interest and responsibility, sooner or later they will give you the opportunity to drive a tractor,” he says. The key is to work hard, be efficient and always ask when something is not clear: “There is nothing worse than someone who makes up the task.”
That attitude, he says, is what allows him to go from day laborer to tractor driver, and even to manager. A promotion that depends more on mentality and perseverance than on luck.
A job with a future (and without fear of technology)
Does the job of tractor driver have a future in the era of automation? According to the video, the answer is resounding: yes. “There is much more demand than supply,” he says. “It’s like with computer scientists: farms are growing, there is investment, but there is a lack of qualified labor.”
The arrival of autonomous driving does not eliminate the professional, it revalues him. “A tractor with GPS needs someone who knows how to program, configure the terrain and adjust the machinery. Technology does not replace a good tractor driver, it makes him more efficient.”
What’s more, some farmers have also decided to join the technological bandwagon and dedicate their land to installing solar panels, instead of crops, as one more alternative that unites technology and the future with the countryside.
The average salary is 1,400 or 1,500 euros per month
Regarding the salary of a tractor driver, the farmer begins by clarifying that what he earns as a tractor driver “depends, it depends on the area, the agricultural agreement of your location and, above all, your professionalism.” The farmer explains it with concrete examples. According to the Malaga agricultural agreement for 2025, a tractor driver earns 60.50 euros per day, that is, about 1,270 euros per month. In Córdoba, the salary of a first-class tractor driver amounts to 1,350 euros in 14 payments.
“And portals like Jobel or Indid give us data that the average salary of an agricultural tractor driver is around 1,400 and 1,500 euros per month,” says the content creator of ‘Cultiva y Emprende’. “In other words, at a minimum, a tractor driver can be earning between 1,300 and 1,600 euros net per month,” he summarizes.
But the reality is that good tractor drivers earn more. “If you are self-employed, responsible and do not need to review your work, you can earn between 1,600 and 2,000 euros net per month or more,” he explains. In a context in which the lack of personnel is constant, companies are willing to pay better to those who know what they do.
An open door for young people
Beyond the salary, the video sends an inspiring message: working as a tractor driver can be the first step to becoming a farmer or agricultural businessman. “If your dream is to have your own farms but you don’t have money, starting as a tractor driver is a great option,” he explains. Working for others allows you to learn how to manage a farm, save and see up close the mistakes and successes of the business.
In the medium term, a good professional can combine three sources of income: his salary as an employee, freelance work for third parties and the profitability of his own farms.