The marijuana industry in America is thriving.

Currently, there are 9 states in the US that have legalized recreational use, and 31 states that have legalized medical marijuana.

With each year that passes, we see those numbers continuing to rise. There are well over 1,000 dispensaries in the US, more than 500 in the state of Colorado alone.

There is a lot of money to be made here.

Marijuana is a $9 billion industry, and it’s predicted to reach $21 billion by 2021.

The industry is growing so quickly that there are a ton of different marijuana-related job opportunities out there.

Are you interested in getting in on the profit?

Even if you live in a state where marijuana isn’t legal; even if you’ve never smoked marijuana in your life, and don’t intend to – there still might be a career in the field that’s a great fit for you.

Because marijuana is not just for potheads anymore, it’s also for entrepreneurs.

Keep reading to hear some important tips on how to get into the marijuana industry.

The Marijuana Industry has Four Different Sectors

The first thing you need to do before pursuing a job in any field is to do your research and learn how the industry itself works.

The marijuana industry has four main sectors:

• Retail
• Cultivation
• Extraction
• Ancillary commerce

In retail, salespeople take care of the medical and recreational clients that visit their dispensaries. In cultivation, expert botanical knowledge is used to grow different strains of marijuana. In extraction, lab techs and chemists use various processes to create THC and CBD oil, which can be made into edibles, tinctures and lotions.

Ancillary commerce covers the whole digital/marketing side of things, and helps to oversee the other three branches of the marijuana industry.

All four of these sectors work together to make sure that the industry keeps thriving. Which one is the right fit for you will depend on your skills, background, level of education, and what type of work you’re interested in.

Retail is Much More than Just Budtenders

If you’ve ever visited a marijuana dispensary, it was probably your budtender who left the biggest impression.

Budtenders are the sales professionals who help you find whatever strain or form of marijuana you’re looking for. They are experts in everything the dispensary offers, and can help answer any questions you might have.

Budtenders often work with people dealing with chronic illnesses, so their levels of empathy and expertise need to be strong. Compassion and good listening skills are a must.

The job pays anywhere from $12-$18/hour depending on the individual dispensary, and most budtenders also make tips. So better customer service can mean a bigger paycheck.

Budtenders are just a small part of the retail puzzle. It takes a lot to run a successful business, especially one that is so closely regulated by the federal government.

Retail also includes jobs such as:

• Receptionist
• Delivery Driver
• Store Manager
• Edibles Chef
• Security
• Administrator
• Accountant
• Inventory
• Packager
• Owner

If you’re interested in working in retail, this is a sector where you’ll definitely need to live in a state that actually has dispensaries. So if you live in North Dakota but dream of becoming a budtender, you might want to head south to Colorado.

Put that Green Thumb to Use in Cultivation

Doing cultivation work for the marijuana industry is another sector where you’ll need to be working in a state where it’s legal.

Just like with retail, there are a wide range of different job opportunities within the cultivation sector. These can include:

• Cultivation Site Worker/Manager
• Laboratory Technician
• Field Technician
• Grower
• Trimmer
• Harvester
• Clone Technician
• Distribution Clerk
• Water Filtration Specialist

At the top of the cultivation pyramid is the master grower, which is a pretty cool title in itself. But the fact that master growers make between $50K-$120K a year doesn’t hurt either.

Master growers have a lot of responsibilities. They oversee all of the stages of growth, handle crop nutrition, take care of any pests, keep the grow-house in tip-top shape, and have to deal with government officials and even law enforcement pretty regularly.

So master growers need to be extremely dedicated, organized and hard-working. If you’ve got these traits and also have a passion for botany and horticulture, then cultivation work might be right up your alley.

The Big Money is in Extraction

The highest paying job in the marijuana industry is the master extractor, who can make a salary as high as $250K.

Master extractors are in charge of the careful science required in creating concentrates and oils that have exact levels of THC or CBD, so that they can be packaged correctly. The federal regulations here are very strict, so extractors have to be extremely precise.

Most master extractor positions require a PhD in biochemistry, and having some engineering experience is a must. This makes for a really small pool of qualified candidates, which is why extractors are in high demand.

If you’re interested in working in extraction, but don’t think you’re ready to start a PhD, there are many other options out there. Taking an internship and working your way up is one possible route.

There are even schools with highly trained faculty who have hands-on experience as extractors, growers, chemists and business owners. They can help you work towards your goal of finding employment in the marijuana industry. Learn more about the educators who can give you the tools you need to succeed in this business.

Ancillary Commerce is Great for Tech-Savvy People

Ancillary commerce is sort of the catch-all phrase for everything else that goes on in the marijuana industry. These can be things like:

• Website Design
• Software Development
• B2B Sales
• IT Management
• Sales Rep
• Marketing
• Compliance Director
• Glassblower

The range of job opportunities within the marijuana industry is astounding, and there only continues to be more possibilities with each passing day.

Now that You Know How to Get Into the Marijuana Industry, Are You Ready?

What direction you want to go in once you figure out how to get into the marijuana industry is up to you.

Are you more interested in the scientific aspects of the field, the botany, the tech side, or the customer service?

If you’re not sure yet, take some time to think it over.

Better yet, why not take a vacation to help you clear your head?

Or, check out our blog for more great advice on your health, your career, and everything in between.