The first days of Stardew Valley can feel grueling without the proper skills and bonuses to help. However, as players grind the game and continue to expand their farm, they'll be able to develop their skills in farming, fishing, foraging, mining, and combat; eventually, they will be able to unlock powerful boosts called professions, which act as specializations. Each of the five skills can be improved up to level 10, and players are offered a choice of profession that boosts their profit at the mid-way point and then again at the maximum level.
Once a Stardew Valley profession is chosen, it can't be changed unless the player visits the Statue of Uncertainty found in the sewers. The statue demands payment of 10,000 gold before a change to one skill can be made. However, with this guide, changing professions later on won't be an issue because there are clear winners and losers when it comes down to them.
Updated on May 21, 2023 by Hannah Dahlberg: Stardew Valley's popularity has not waned over the last few years. Consequently, many players will continue to find themselves at a crossroads as they try to decide which Stardew Valley profession to pick.
Best Farming Professions
Unsurprisingly, Farming is the most basic and important skill in Stardew Valley. This skill levels up fairly fast, so it's often one of the firsts that players choose professions for. Remember to water crops and plant more on a regular basis to increase this skill fast.
- At level 5, players will be given the choice between Rancher and Tiller.
- At level 10, players who chose Rancher will be given the choice between Coopmaster and Shepard.
- At level 10, players who picked Tiller can select between Artisan and Agriculturalist.
Level 5: Tiller
- Crops are worth 10% more.
At level 5, the best Profession to pick is Tiller. Players will often find themselves selling extra crops for some money in Stardew Valley, and only a handful will be turned into recipes or used in artisanal goods. As such, it's always a good idea to have a bonus that increases the selling price of them. Rancher, on the other hand, is a bad choice since it's never recommended to sell animal products without first turning them into fine artisanal goods.
Level 10: Artisan
- Artisan goods are worth 40% more.
The bread and butter of earning money in Stardew Valley is selling artisan goods. All the crops and animal products produced at the farm can be turned into wines and cheeses, which can then be sold for incredible prices. 40% is a massive boost to the already bloated prices of artisan goods, so get it as soon as possible. Agriculturist, however, only increases the growth of crops by 10%, which isn't as useful given that players can use fertilizers to achieve that instead. Artisan is simply the better investment.
Best Mining Professions
Players don't have to go to Stardew Valley's mines to increase their mining skill level. Using a pickaxe or any other method or tool to break any rocks on the farm will also steadily level up this skill. Depending on how hard the rock is to break, it will give more or less experience.
- At level 5, players will be given the choice between Miner and Geologist.
- At level 10, players who chose Miner will be offered the choice between Blacksmith and Prospector.
- At level 10, Geologists can pick between Gemologist and Excavator.
Level 5: Geologist
- There's a 50% chance for gems to appear in pairs when mining a node.
Gems don't really have a big use in Stardew Valley, but they do sell for a nice price. Having more of them is therefore a nice bonus, even if the Miner profession that adds +1 ore per vein might seem tempting. However, Geologist has better level 10 professions than Miner, so in the long-term, it's a much better pick and will earn you more money. Plus, gems are a nice gift for some villagers as well.
Level 10: Gemologist
- Gems are worth 30% more.
This is another massive price increase to the already good selling price of gems. It's a fantastic way to make more money. To be fair, the Excavator profession is a valid choice, too, but for simple money-making purposes, the Gemologist path is simply supreme. Chances are, players will be finding plenty of geodes anyway at this point in the game, that the price increase will be more useful.
Best Foraging Professions
Foraging encompasses both gathering foraged items as well as chopping wood. Clearing out large, difficult-to-break wooden objects like stumps and logs will grant additional experience. Any item picked up from the ground that qualifies as a seasoned foraged item will give a bit of experience as well.
- At level 5, players will be offered the choice between Forester and Gatherer.
- At level 10, players who chose Forester will be given the choice between Lumberjack and Tapper.
- At level 10, players who went with Gatherer can select from Botanist and Tracker.
Level 5: Gatherer
- There's a 20% chance of double harvest on a foraged item.
Foraging is incredibly easy to do at the beginning of the game, making this choice a no-brainer. Wood is plentiful on any day in Stardew Valley, which makes the Forester profession almost useless, but foraged items that are seasonal can be great villager gifts when stored throughout the year or sold for a bit of extra gold. The double harvest bonus is fantastic, as it gives a small chance of finding even more of those rare seasonal goods, which can be used to make artisan goods for cheap.
Level 10: Botanist
- Foraged items are always of the highest quality.
At this point in the game, not only will foraged items be more plentiful when found, they will now always have the best quality as well. This means that their price will be better, and they can also be used to make better artisan goods. It's a nice side income on top of farming and animal products, so it really helps to have the highest quality. The Tracker profession isn't as useful, since by level 10 players will know the spots where foraged items are most plentiful anyway.
Best Fishing Professions
Fishing is one of the easier skills to level up, as bodies of water to fish in are plentiful around Pelican Town. No matter what the player catches, whether it's actual fish, trash, or algae, the fishing skill will increase over time. Moreover, emptying crab pots will also grant a bit of experience.
- At level 5, players will be given the choice between Trapper and Fisher.
- At level 10, players who chose Fisher will be offered the choice between Angler and Pirate.
- At level 10, Trappers are offered the professions of Mariner and Luremaster.
Level 5: Fisher
- Fish are worth 25% more.
This is another simple price boost, but these are the professions that players can reap the most benefits out of. Early on, fishing can be pretty hard to do with a bad rod, so it's best to have at least a decent selling price for the catch that players do manage to get. The Trapper profession is pretty useless since it simply reduces the crafting resources needed to make a crab pot, which in all fairness are not that expensive to make.
Level 10: Angler
- Fish are worth 50% more.
The Angler profession doubles the initial price boost that players will have unlocked at level 5. By now, fishing should be a walk in the park, and any fish caught will fetch a very nice price when sold. It might not be the most original choice, especially when the alternative is the Pirate profession that allows players to find more treasure. However, the mines and Skull Cavern have enough opportunities for that anyway, so it feels slightly redundant to pick, especially at level 10.
Best Combat Professions
Although fairly straightforward, Combat is definitely the slowest skill the level up. While other categories are utilized regularly, such as farming crops for income, mining rocks to clean up around the farm, and foraging materials — combat is something that players have to go out of their way to level up. Head to the mines or to Skull Cavern to slay monsters for some experience.
- At level 5, players will be presented with the choice between Fighter and Scout.
- At level 10, players who chose Fighter will be presented with the choice between Brute and Defender.
- At level 10, Scouts can pick between Acrobat and Desperado.
Level 5: Fighter
- All attacks deal 10% more damage and you gain +15 HP.
Picking this over Scout, which increases critical chance by 50%, is a no-brainer. It's a more balanced choice, which increases not just damage but also defenses by providing a bit more HP to the player. Early on, it's a nice general boost that doesn't force players to make a drastic decision, and the Fighter profession also has much better level 10 professions to unlock.
Level 10: Brute
- Deal 15% more damage.
Level 10 gives a tough choice, but ultimately damage prevails. A good player at level 10 will be able to rely on foods that boost speed and defenses while crawling in the mines and Skull Cavern, so the 25 HP boost isn't quite as significant as a 15% damage boost in the grand scheme of things.
Stardew Valley is available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.