Stardew Valley Best Professions To Choose

Updated:

17 Dec 2023

Stardew Valley is an RPG, although this statement might be considered controversial in the gaming community, and like every RPG, your character can level up in certain skills. There are five available skills in this game: farming, foraging, mining, combat, and fishing and your character can reach level 10 in all of them.
Leveling up in every skill will bring crafting recipes for stuff that will make your gameplay more interesting, or simply easier. But, when you reach the milestones that are levels 5 and 10 you can choose a Profession, which will bring you special types of bonuses.
There are two Profession choices every time, and they both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you aren’t sure which ones will be better for you in the long run, don’t worry, I got you!
Just follow our quick and easy guide to the best professions to choose in Stardew Valley!

Farming

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Farming is truly the bread and butter of Stardew Valley

Let’s start with Farming - arguably the most important aspect of Stardew Valley. I mean, you didn’t start with repairing your grandfather’s old fishing shop or an abandoned mine, right? So, Farming usually takes priority over other things you can do in the game and is typically the easiest to level up.
To gather XP points and level up your Farming skill, you just need to take care of your farm - plant crops, water, harvest, and then ship them and tend to animals. Choosing the right Profession in this skill will set you up for future successes and riches too, since Farming is also the most profitable activity in the game.
That being said, here is my ranking of Farming Professions:

Best option:
Level 5 - Tiller

At level 5, your choices are pretty great

I wish we could get both Rancher and Tiller at some point, but alas, life is not fair and we have to choose one or the other. At first glance, the choice might look obvious, because 20% is much better than 10%. This way of thinking is completely valid, but I am sorry to disappoint you and this is actually the far inferior choice.
Even though the initial bonus might be lower, in the long run, the 10% will pay off because of the sheer variety of crops and the introduction of higher-value ones. Also, there is so much tillable soil on your farm (even more if you add the farm on Ginger Island), and you will generally grow way more crops than get animal products.
Lastly, crops will most likely get turned into Artisan Goods, and choosing Tiller at level 5 will unlock the best Profession in the game at level 10 - Artisan.

Level 10 - Artisan

If you’ve gone with Tiller, these are your choices at level 10

If you want to make the big bucks without a huge amount of effort, then you have to choose the Artisan profession. Artisan Goods sell for large amounts of gold and bring in tons of profit. Believe me, making 40% more gold each time you sell an Artisanal Product will make a huge difference.
We are all well aware of how profitable making wine in Stardew Valley is, and if you age it too - move on Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, there is a new billionaire in town!

Second best Farming option:
Level 5 - Rancher

As I’ve previously mentioned, 20% more gold on all animal products is nothing to sneeze at. Also, if you want to focus on raising livestock and poultry, and produce animal-based Artisan Goods, then Rancher would be the right choice for you.
Your profit margins might be smaller than if you go the crop route, but don’t forget that the main point of this game is to have fun. So if taking care of farm animals makes you happy and makes your game more enjoyable, by all means - go for it!

Level 10 - Shepherd

Coop or barn, now that is a million-dollar question.

If you adore farm animals but still want to make some money, at level 10, go for Shepherd. Even though both options are good, barn animals will generate more profit in the long run. Yes, barn animals are pretty costly, but the Artisan Goods they produce also sell for more gold. Shepherd will make your sheep produce wool faster, and this product has a base selling price of 340g and can be turned into cloth and sold for even more gold.
Shorter incubation times aren’t that beneficial, especially if you’re no longer in the early game. By the time you reach level 10, you’ll probably have a ton of animals, and cutting down on the hatching time won’t make a lot of difference.

Foraging

There are so many goodies to forage around Pelican Town, you just have to find them

In the early game, Foraging is a great way to earn some extra gold until your first crops come in. I also believe this game aspect is a bit underrated since it brings a nice living-off-the-land feeling to the game. Also, you can find so many useful things around the map at any point in the year, you just have to look.
So, here are my rankings of the best Foraging Professions in Stardew Valley:

Best option:
Level 5 - Gatherer

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Usually, it’s hunter or gatherer, but I guess forester works too

Getting extra wood when chopping trees is great, but in case you haven’t noticed - there are so many trees all around the map in Stardew Valley, so you definitely won’t miss out. Might take a little bit more energy and elbow grease though. On the other hand, a chance to get two foraged items is great since it means more gold in the early game while you’re still struggling to make ends meet and upgrade your farm.
Also, foraged goods can make good gifts for the townspeople and can help you start on the right foot when building neighborly relationships. Lastly, Gatherer will work on truffles too, making it extra profitable even later in the game, if you choose to make a truffle farm.

Level 10 - Botanist

Gatherer, choose your fighter!

In my opinion, there is a very clear winner between the two options on level 10, and it is 100% Botanist. The reasoning is pretty much the same as it was for Gatherer.
Botanist works for truffles, giving you iridium quality every single time (do I hear a cha-ching?) which will bring in so much gold it will make your head spin. But the other foraged goods with iridium quality are nothing to sneeze at either. Stock up, especially during Winter when you have a lot of time on your hands.
Tracker might be useful if you take foraging super seriously, but I don’t think anyone does it to that extent or has enough time to do so. You will stumble upon foragable goods while walking through town during your everyday activities anyway. Knowing their location will just take away the little jolt of surprise when you see one from the corner of your eye.

Second best Foraging option:
Level 5 - Forester

As I’ve previously mentioned, I think Gatherer is far superior, but Forester does have its perks. When you don’t intentionally cut trees down, every once in a while you might find yourself low on this resource and desperately needing it for crafting purposes. And then you have to run around the map chopping every tree in sight, which can be annoying.
So, having a little bit of extra wood dropped every time you cut a tree down can be beneficial.

Level 10 - Lumberjack

See the tree, feel the tree, become the tree

If you’ve gone with Forester, then Lumberjack is the better option for going forward. Syrups are essential ingredients for crafting recipes, but they don’t bring in that much money in general.
On the other hand, hardwood is a hard-to-come-by resource (pun intended) and you can typically only get it by cutting down a mahogany tree, a large stump, or a large log. With Lumberjack, any tree has a chance to drop hardwood making it way more accessible!

Mining

Coal Miner’s Daughter, or better yet - granddaughter?

In order to upgrade your tools, or craft many essential things, you will need to delve into the Stardew Valley mines and gather some precious resources. This way, you will also level up your Mining skills. If the mines are not your favorite part of the game and you don’t want to spend more time there than absolutely necessary, just use your pickaxe and break stones around the farm for an extra XP boost.
The Professions you choose can help you ease your mining journey, so be intentional with them. Here are the choices I suggest:

Best option:
Level 5 - Geologist

You could say that Mining is in your veins

An additional ore per vein sounds pretty enticing, but it actually doesn’t make that much of a difference. You will have to melt five ores in a furnace to get a single bar, so this bonus isn’t as beneficial as it seems at first glance.
That’s why Geologist is the way to go. Gems can be sold for good amounts of gold, and getting them in pairs will just increase your profit. Especially since this choice will open up an even better option at level 10.

Level 10 - Gemologist

Diamonds are a girl’s best friends

At level 10, you should continue with the gem obsession and go for Gemologist which will make all your gems sell for 30% more. To make the most out of this Profession in Stardew Valley, get yourself a bunch of crystalariums and start replicating gems left and right.
I mean, sure, geodes are mysterious and so fun to crack open, but I don’t think Excavator will bring you much in the long run. Except if you are rushing to complete the Museum collection, then it may come in handy.

Second best Mining option:
Level 5 - Miner

Although Miner is the second best option, it can still be useful. Getting an extra metal bar here and there is a nice bonus since they will most likely all get used at one point.
You can also always sell the excess and make this choice profitable too!

Level 10 - Prospector

Is Clint hiring?

If you decide to go with Miner at level 5, you will get a choice of either Blacksmith or Prospector at level 10. And I will strongly encourage you to go with Prospector.
Coal is required for smelting every single metal ore in the furnace, and since you need metal bars for so many crafting recipes, smelting is going to become an everyday process. Soon, you will require more coal than you can obtain, so having double the chance to find it will surely come in handy!
On the other hand, Blacksmith is a fine choice if you plan on selling your metal bars. But, since they are in so many recipes, you won’t have too much excess.
Also, Clint’s life is sad already, so I don’t think he needs competition in the job department. One Blacksmith in Pelican Town is plenty.

Combat

When did they put the Basilisk in Stardew Valley?

The next skill we are going to talk about is Combat. Since mining and killing monsters go together like peanut butter and jelly, you are going to encounter many creepy crawlies as you dive deeper into the mines. But hey, that’s the name of the game since you need to get resources.
Combat is the only slightly dangerous part of Stardew Valley. I say slightly because the only bad thing that happens if the monsters get the best of you, is losing some resources. But anyway, to stop that from happening, choose your Combat Profession carefully.
Here is my ranking of Combat Professions:

Best Option:
Level 5 - Fighter

Fight or scout - it is up to you!

Even though both Profession options for Combat are good, Fighter still has a slight advantage. This Profession will let your character’s attacks deal 10% more damage and you get 15 additional HP that are added to your total. I would argue that this added HP is actually what puts this Profession on top.
Additional HP is kind of hard to come by in Stardew Valley, so this little bonus will make you just a bit more durable which can make or break your future mine crawls.

Level 10 - Defender

This is basically an offense vs defense choice

To become a lean mean fighting machine, you need to choose the Defender Profession at level 10. Even though an additional 15% of damage would be very efficient, the HP boost you get from Defender is unmatched. As I’ve previously mentioned, you don’t get lots of opportunities to increase your HP so you should take advantage of every single one that is offered to you.
On the other hand, you can easily get a better weapon or even boost it with a gem in the Volcano Dungeon to add more damage.

Second best Combat option:
Level 5 - Scout

I would heavily discourage you from choosing this option at level 5 since I’ve pressed the importance of HP so much. Still, there are advantages to choosing Scout too.
Scout Profession will increase the chance of dealing critical strikes by 50%, which is not much but can be helpful too. Lastly, if you stick it out with Scout until level 10, you’ll get a potentially great boost after.

Level 10 - Desperado

Deadly cowboy or a murderous acrobat - the choice is on you

The best thing about choosing Scout at level 5 is that it gives you the option of going for Desperado at level 10. This Profession will make your critical strikes more powerful. You will be able to deal way more damage, and even potentially one-shot your opponents.
Acrobat is fine, but cutting the cooldown time in half won’t make much of a difference or help you out of sticky situations.

Fishing

Doesn’t this look so peaceful?

Lastly, let’s talk about everyone’s (least) favorite skill - Fishing. I know players generally like to rag on Fishing in Stardew Valley, but I love it - it’s dynamic, and fun and you can get so many goodies in treasure chests. Also, in the early game, it’s a great way to earn some extra money for seeds.
Regardless of whether you like or dislike this skill, you have to do a little bit of it if you go the Community Center route, choose to accept tasks on the bulletin board, or just want to achieve perfection at one point.
So why not use the best Professions to make fishing easier and more profitable? If you aren’t sure which one to pick, just follow my advice:

Best option:
Level 5 - Fisher

Depends on what you want - active or passive income

This level 5 Fishing bonus is pretty straightforward - you will be able to sell fish for 25% more. This is the Profession that will make you richer in the long run, especially if you enjoy Fishing in general.
On the other hand, Trapper is not that great because crab pots aren’t hard to craft anyway, and I don’t think anybody takes a lot of advantage of them.

Level 10 - Angler

Ahoy matey, is the pirate’s life for you?

In my opinion, this is by far the hardest Profession choice you will have to make in Stardew Valley because they are both incredible in their own right. And here is where I’m going to chicken out and give a bit of a diplomatic answer.
I think that in the early to mid-game, you should go for Angler, especially if you enjoy fishing. The money increase you will get from selling your fish will be beneficial to you while you’re growing your farm.
My advice would be to make as much money as you can, and then use the Statue of Uncertainty and switch over to Pirate to make the game a bit more fun with pirate treasures popping out left and right.

Second best Fishing option:
Level 5 - Trapper

I think Trapper is one of the worst Professions in Stardew Valley and I wouldn’t recommend choosing it, but if you really want to - there are still a few really small advantages to it.
If you absolutely hate fishing, you can use crab pots to still gain a tiny bit of passive income from this skill, and you will spend less material to craft them.

Level 10 - Luremaster

These two Professions sound way fancier than they actually are

If you really enjoy making and using crab pots, then at level 10 you should go for the Luremaster Profession. This Profession will make it so your crab pots no longer require bait which will make them easier to manage.
I mean, sure, having no trash, soggy newspaper, or driftwood waiting for you in the crab pots would make your life a little bit easier, but I don’t think that cleaning out this trash is that much of a hassle.

Final thoughts

As we conclude this Professions guide, just remember that you don’t always have to make the best choices and optimize your gameplay at every corner. The main goal of Stardew Valley is to enjoy yourself and have fun, so do just that.
So, if you love checking your crab pots every day, and that makes you happy, go for it and don’t think about the profitability of that activity. All choices are valid in their own right if they are going to make you enjoy yourself more.
And if you ever figure out that you’ve made a mistake, you can easily change any Profession. Just venture into the sewers with 10,000g in your pocket and find the Statue of Uncertainty.