Stardew Valley: Should I Choose Rancher or Tiller?

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A helpful guide to picking the best farming profession in Stardew Valley on all platforms

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: August 2, 2023

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About the Rancher Profession

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About the Tiller Profession

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Which one is better?

Have you reached Level 5 Farming in Stardew Valley? If you're wondering which profession is the best choice for you, it should be easy to determine once you decide your playstyle. If you're looking for a lucrative choice for both early- and end-game, the Tiller will be your best option. However, if you like caring for animals, you could benefit from the Rancher profession. This wikiHow will compare the Rancher and Tiller professions in Stardew Valley and help you decide which one to choose.

Things You Should Know

The Rancher Profession can be helpful early-game if you prefer to raise a lot of animals.
The Tiller Profession is better for end-game earnings with the Artisan upgrade since you get 10% more for crops and 40% more for artisan goods.
At Level 10, you can unlock a sub-category for your profession. You can always change this later, at the Statue of Uncertainty.

Section 1 of 3:

About the Rancher Profession

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When you raise barn or coop animals, they provide products such as eggs, milk, wool, and more. You can sell these items for profit or you can use them for recipes. While barns and coops take a hefty fund to initially build, this profession can be helpful if you like to keep a lot of animals on your farm.
With Coopmaster, you'll be able to befriend coop animals quicker while with Shepherd, you'll be able to befriend barn animals quicker. If you prefer raising chickens, you can cut down incubation time with the Coopmaster profession. If you prefer raising cows and sheep, you can produce wool faster with the Shepherd profession. Wool can be used to create cloth with a loom, which can then be used to tailor clothes at Emily's house.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 3:

About the Tiller Profession

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This applies to all vegetable and flower crops and any fruit that is obtained in a way other than foraging. If you're an avid farmer or if you want to earn extra gold while you focus on fishing or mining, you could benefit from the Tiller profession. You can start the season off strong by planting plenty of crops and earn your money back quickly with the 10% bonus.
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At Level 10, you can choose between Artisan and Agriculturist. The Artisan profession is best suited for you if you craft a lot of artisan goods (such as wine, cheese, and oil). This gives you a 40% bonus when selling any of these items. As the Ancient Fruit wine strategy is especially popular for late-game players, this profession is recommended to keep your farm earning thousands of gold regularly.
- You also have the option to pick the Agriculturist profession, which makes all crops grow 10% faster. However, this perk falls flat compared to the Artisan profession since you can craft Speed-Gro for a similar effect.

Section 3 of 3:

Which one is better?

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Tiller provides more gold in the long run. You'll get a 10% crop bonus and a 40% artisan goods bonus (Artisan), which makes this profession unbeatable in terms of getting gold. However, if you're playing with a friend, it can be helpful for each person to choose the opposite profession. This way, you can get the benefits of both. Keep in mind you can always change your profession at the Statue of Uncertainty. This is unlocked once you get into the Krobus' Sewer, and it'll cost you 10,000g to do so.
- Rancher can help you get gold in the early game and even befriend animals more quickly. Animals with high friendship yield the "large" versions of their products, which are also needed in the Community Center bundles. These also sell for a lot more than their "small" counterparts. If you find yourself collecting animal goods more than crops, you can benefit from this in the early game and switch professions if needed.