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Are you looking to enter the budding cannabis industry workforce? While most jobs will drug test you, some work-from-home gigs may give you the freedom to smoke as you please. Other jobs in the industry can get you closer than ever to your favorite plant.

Interested in starting a career in the booming cannabis industry? If you have the right experience, skills, and passion for cannabis, you have to check out these top nine high paying jobs for stoners. 

Top High Paying Jobs for Stoners

1. Budtender

As a certified stoner, you have the skills and knowledge to help first-time cannabis users approach cannabis safely and effectively. You have probably tried hundreds of different strains and products and have experienced your share of bad trips, so you know the do's and don'ts of using cannabis.

Budtenders provide customers with product recommendations, check their IDs, and complete the transaction using POS systems. Previous retail, hospitality, or customer service experience is preferred.

Average salary – $14 an hour up to $25 an hour

2. Bud Trimmer

You’ve seen the difference between low- and high-quality weed throughout your smoking sessions, so you know exactly what the high-quality bud is supposed to look like. No leaves, stems, or seeds. Pure and vibrant cannabis buds glistening with trichomes.

While bud trimming is an entry-level job, many cultivation facilities pay their trimmers based on how much they trim in a day, ranging from one to two pounds or three if you're especially gifted. 

Keep in mind, repetitive motions can lead to a strain injury. Remember to take frequent breaks and perform stretches. Bud trimming jobs are a great entry point to other cultivation positions like an assistant, supervisor, or lead grower. 

Average salary – $14/hour

3. Cannabis Grower

man touching cannabis plants, high paying jobs for stoners

If you like to smoke bud and grow it too, there may be a spot for you at an indoor or outdoor cultivation facility. Previous horticulture experience and education are top skills to have if you want to work your way up the cultivation sector in the cannabis industry.

General tasks include cleaning, watering, feeding, defoliation, transplanting, harvesting, drying, and curing. This may not be the most lucrative job at first but can lead to high-paying jobs like master grower or director of cultivation after several years of experience. 

Average salary – $15/hour

4. Cannabis Extraction Technician

If you’re mechanically inclined and have a knack for chemistry, you can appreciate the work done at processing facilities. Extraction technicians perform the day-to-day tasks and maintenance of running commercial extraction equipment.

A cannabis extraction technician transforms plant material into various types of concentrates, including distillate, isolate, live resin, shatter, wax, and oil. This job may require previous lab experience or a degree in chemistry or a related science field. Salaries vary based on experience, location, and company.

Average salary – $17/hour

5. Cannabis Journalist/Writer

Many of the best authors and writers throughout history have smoked tons of weed, and some might argue too much at times. If you have a way with written words, there are many places for you in the cannabis industry. Salaries vary by experience and publication/company.

Writers and journalists can work for cannabis companies to create websites, market their products, and provide cannabis consulting services. Journalists can work with industry publications covering various aspects of the industry, including law, culture, politics, and more.

Average salary – $50k/year

6. Cannabis Programmer

Programmers are highly analytical, logical, and must retain a high presence of mind to code for hours a day. Cannabis software companies are looking for talented programmers to create computer software and applications for the industry. If you're working in this industry, cannabis use may be tolerated.

While most programmers won't touch the stuff when they code, they may use it after work to relieve stress and relax. Others may find smoking microdoses of cannabis can help them become even more engaged with their coding projects.

Average salary – $75k/year

7. Cannabis Delivery Driver

If you're friendly, good with cash transactions, and an excellent driver, you are a prime candidate for working as a delivery driver for a retailer. You'll need to have a clean driving record, a reliable form of transportation, and maybe a high school diploma. 

Delivery drivers transport orders from cannabis dispensaries directly to a customer's home. The salaries for this entry-level position are modest, but drivers can receive tips. If you're a favorite among customers, you may get a good chunk of change every day. 

Average salary – $14/hour

8. Edibles Chef

For most stoners, making cookies, gummies, brownies, and other food products all day is a dream job. Edible chefsare some of the most coveted stoner jobs in this newly legal industry. It takes great skill and experience to create appropriately dosed and delicious cannabis products on a commercial scale.

If you're just starting out in the food and weed business, you can get a job in an edibles kitchen as a kitchen assistant or product packager. These entry-level gigs are good starting points to gaining experience in a cannabis kitchen and learning how to maintain a state-compliant facility.

Average salary – $40k-$90k/year

9. Glassblower

Last on our list of high paying jobs for stoners is glassblowing. Cannabis undoubtedly stimulates creativity and imagination. Cannabis glass blowers combine their passion for glass blowing and cannabis paraphernalia. They make a wide range of glass pieces, including bongs and pipes. Unleash your creativity with a glass-blowing career. 

There are over 300,000 jobs in the cannabis industry. CTU trained me for one of them!

marijuana extraction course - Johanna Rose
Makes $24.50 @ THC +

Starter glass blowing rigs can start at $1,000, and you'll need to be able to handle heat over 1,000º F. If you're up for the challenge and dream of making a name for yourself as a prolific glassblower, there may be a growing market for your skills.

Average salary – $30k/year

Sky’s the Limit 

Back in the day, stoner used to be a derogatory term for almost anyone who smoked or used weed. In the age of legal cannabis, the term stoner has taken on a new form as an identifier for cannabis enthusiasts, including the most successful CEOs. If you love weed, there are endless job opportunities for you inside and outside the cannabis industry. 

Earn the right certifications to jump start your cannabis career at Cannabis Training University, the leader in cannabis education.

Fred Hernandez - Cannabis industry expert writer
Fred Hernandez

Fred Hernandez is a highly accomplished and versatile writer, boasting an extensive background in the cannabis industry. With an in-depth understanding of various sectors including cultivators, processors, retailers, and brands, Fred's expertise spans across the entire cannabis landscape. As a prominent contributor to CTU, he consistently delivers insightful articles exploring the latest developments, news, and regulations shaping the cannabis industry. Whether it's delving into the intricacies of cannabis products, cannabis strain reviews, or providing comprehensive analyses of cannabis laws, or sharing expert insights on cannabis cultivation techniques, Fred's wealth of knowledge positions him as an invaluable writer and educator for all cannabis-related subjects.

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