Agricultural equipment operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,500 | $16.11 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $41,730 | $20.06 |
| Mean (average) | $43,710 | $21.02 |
| 90th percentile | $58,650 | $28.20 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Agricultural equipment operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 40 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,910 | $27,360 | $44,930 | 370 | 0.96 |
| Arizona | $36,600 | $32,910 | $42,510 | 730 | 1.22 |
| Arkansas | $32,060 | $28,760 | $45,090 | 350 | 1.48 |
| California | $38,820 | $35,620 | $54,580 | 7,940 | 2.38 |
| Colorado | $37,290 | $32,410 | $48,840 | ||
| Delaware | $49,910 | $37,460 | $60,330 | 40 | 0.45 |
| Florida | $36,660 | $30,060 | $50,260 | 790 | 0.43 |
| Georgia | $35,410 | $28,890 | $46,910 | 570 | 0.64 |
| Idaho | $38,920 | $30,320 | $46,850 | 490 | 3.14 |
| Illinois | $46,050 | $37,660 | $58,300 | 1,910 | 1.71 |
| Indiana | $46,280 | $39,100 | $57,940 | 810 | 1.39 |
| Iowa | $47,220 | $37,020 | $62,360 | 1,530 | 5.37 |
| Kansas | $45,570 | $38,120 | $57,340 | 670 | 2.55 |
| Kentucky | $42,000 | $36,940 | $84,880 | 190 | 0.52 |
| Louisiana | $58,520 | $32,190 | $64,510 | 270 | 0.76 |
| Maine | $46,490 | $46,490 | $57,290 | 60 | 0.47 |
| Maryland | $39,580 | $38,400 | $50,890 | 180 | 0.37 |
| Massachusetts | $49,150 | $36,430 | $60,290 | 40 | 0.06 |
| Michigan | $42,380 | $30,320 | $49,360 | 460 | 0.57 |
| Minnesota | $48,520 | $38,630 | $59,720 | 900 | 1.67 |
| Mississippi | $36,460 | $20,340 | $43,430 | 280 | 1.31 |
| Missouri | $46,490 | $38,140 | $74,990 | 900 | 1.67 |
| Montana | $58,770 | $28,790 | $73,650 | 130 | 1.42 |
| Nebraska | $46,670 | $37,900 | $61,300 | 1,090 | 5.83 |
| New Jersey | $41,660 | $35,790 | $51,420 | 70 | 0.09 |
| New Mexico | $35,580 | $27,730 | $46,000 | 130 | 0.84 |
| New York | $50,020 | $40,700 | $76,940 | ||
| North Carolina | $39,580 | $26,110 | $49,240 | 550 | 0.61 |
| North Dakota | $48,080 | $39,020 | $60,820 | 430 | 5.47 |
| Ohio | $47,220 | $37,340 | $59,640 | 600 | 0.59 |
| Oklahoma | $34,900 | $25,360 | $73,570 | 170 | 0.56 |
| Oregon | $44,150 | $36,930 | $53,880 | 310 | 0.87 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,100 | $33,780 | $60,590 | 390 | 0.35 |
| South Carolina | $34,490 | $29,370 | $46,180 | 380 | 0.9 |
| South Dakota | $48,060 | $38,480 | $53,250 | 240 | 2.86 |
| Tennessee | $37,750 | $26,380 | $54,070 | 390 | 0.65 |
| Texas | $34,260 | $24,550 | $44,720 | 2,200 | 0.85 |
| Virginia | $47,890 | $39,780 | $60,910 | 120 | 0.16 |
| Washington | $38,470 | $36,610 | $59,270 | 550 | 0.84 |
| Wisconsin | $47,100 | $36,430 | $61,010 | 830 | 1.53 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for agricultural equipment operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 10,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for agricultural equipment operators
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Agricultural Power Machinery Operation CIP 01.0204
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
- Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
- Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Farm Management Software Hay and Crop Manager
- Martens Farms Farm Site Mate
- Martens Farms Farm Trac
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Troubleshooting, Equipment Maintenance, Repairing, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: Baler Operator, Cutter Operator, Equipment Operator, Farm Equipment Operator, Hay Baler, Loader Operator, Packing Tractor Machine Operator, Rake Operator, Sprayer, Windrower Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do agricultural equipment operators make?
The national median annual wage for agricultural equipment operators was $41,730 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,500 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $58,650. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do agricultural equipment operators need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is agricultural equipment operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of agricultural equipment operators to change +8.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 10,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay agricultural equipment operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Montana ($58,770), Louisiana ($58,520), New York ($50,020). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.