Average cotton field size in Texas
How big a typical Texas cotton operation is, what it costs to spray a field that size by drone, and how to measure your own.
Average cotton per operation · Texas
485 acres
USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 · 4,822 operations · 2,337,631 acres of cotton total. This is the average across whole operations — a single field is usually smaller, since most farms are split into several fields.
Cost to spray a 485-acre cotton field
Pre-filled to Texas’s average cotton acreage — adjust the acres, passes, carrier volume, or restricted-use toggle for your job.
Estimated cost in Texas
$3,880–$10,185
$8–$21/acre × 485 acres
What’s driving this
- Texas base rate
- $8–$21/acre (row crop)
- Gallons per acre
- 2 GPA → ×1.00
Application only — product & chemical extra.
Sources & how this is estimated
Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2026.
Sources: 2026 Texas Agricultural Custom Rates Survey (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension) - Flat Rate Aerial Application of insecticides/fungicides state avg $10.46, herbicides $12.64, growth regulators/defoliants $10.07; range $7-$21 (West TX herbicide avg $21.50); Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Custom Rate Survey landing page (survey archive, regional methodology - North/South/East/West); Kingdom Crop Spraying (Texas-based drone operator) - approx $15/acre drone spray application; American Spray Drone Coalition 2025 U.S. Spray Drone Industry Survey - national avg $13/acre (down from $21 in 2024)
Drone-spraying cost by field size in Texas
| Field size | Cost per application |
|---|---|
| 40 acres | $320–$840 |
| 80 acres | $640–$1,680 |
| 160 acres | $1,280–$3,360 |
| 320 acres | $2,560–$6,720 |
| 485 acresTX average | $3,880–$10,185 |
| 640 acres | $5,120–$13,440 |
Single application, application only (product/chemical extra). Carrier volume ≈ 3–5 GPA; typical passes Multiple (PGRs, insecticide, harvest-aid defoliation). Estimates — request quotes for exact pricing.
Measure your actual cotton field
Averages are a planning starting point — your field is its own size. The field mapper turns satellite imagery into exact acreage in four steps:
- Open the field mapper. Go to the Ag Drone Sprayers field mapper and search your address in Texas or pan the satellite map to your field.
- Trace the boundary. Tap each corner of your field to drop pins; the tool closes the polygon and computes geodesic acreage.
- Read acreage and cost. See your field's exact acreage and an instant drone-spraying cost estimate for cotton in Texas.
- Request free quotes. Send your mapped field to drone operators serving Texas to receive real, no-obligation quotes.
Sources & method
Field size: USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 — average acres of cotton per operation (2,337,631 acres ÷ 4,822 operations). Average acres per operation is a proxy for typical field size; a farm usually contains several fields. Cost: researched per-acre drone-spraying rates for Texas (application only).
5 Texas operators treat cotton. Map your field and request free quotes.
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Field size & cost in Texas
Cotton field size in Texas: FAQs
- How big is the average cotton operation in Texas?
- USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture reports about 485 harvested acres of cotton per operation in Texas, averaged across 4,822 farms (2,337,631 acres total).
- Is average operation size the same as field size?
- No — and it's the most common mix-up. The 485-acre figure is the average cotton acreage per farm; most farms split that across several fields, so a single field is typically smaller. For a real field boundary, trace it on satellite with the field mapper.
- How much does it cost to spray a 485-acre cotton field by drone in Texas?
- Roughly $3,880–$10,185 for a single application (about $8–$21/acre, application only — product is extra). Extra passes, higher carrier volume, or restricted-use products raise it. Use the calculator above to adjust.
- How do I measure my exact cotton field?
- Open the field mapper, trace your field on satellite imagery, and you'll get its exact acreage, an instant Texas cost estimate, and free quotes from drone operators serving your area — no app to install.