Agricultural Equipment Operators
Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste. May perform tasks such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.Salary by State
| State Name | Employment | Annual Salary | Hourly Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 330 | $28,030 | $13.48 | |
| Arizona | 390 | $33,250 | $15.99 | |
| Arkansas | 530 | $34,560 | $16.62 | |
| California | 5,160 | $36,030 | $17.32 | |
| Colorado | 80 | $43,380 | $20.86 | |
| Florida | 1,610 | $30,540 | $14.68 | |
| Georgia | 940 | $29,660 | $14.26 | |
| Idaho | 300 | $33,210 | $15.97 | |
| Illinois | 1,420 | $42,250 | $20.31 | |
| Indiana | 790 | $38,750 | $18.63 | |
| Iowa | 2,050 | $40,370 | $19.41 | |
| Kansas | 960 | $39,640 | $19.06 | |
| Kentucky | 240 | $34,050 | $16.37 | |
| Louisiana | 430 | $28,580 | $13.74 | |
| Maryland | 160 | $34,600 | $16.64 | |
| Massachusetts | $39,740 | $19.11 | ||
| Michigan | 280 | $38,480 | $18.50 | |
| Minnesota | 910 | $40,470 | $19.46 | |
| Mississippi | 490 | $33,540 | $16.13 | |
| Missouri | 790 | $39,670 | $19.07 | |
| Montana | 120 | $41,960 | $20.17 | |
| Nebraska | 530 | $37,550 | $18.06 | |
| New Jersey | $48,010 | $23.08 | ||
| New Mexico | 200 | $31,700 | $15.24 | |
| New York | 40 | $42,270 | $20.32 | |
| North Carolina | 670 | $30,260 | $14.55 | |
| North Dakota | 300 | $42,780 | $20.57 | |
| Ohio | 580 | $42,920 | $20.64 | |
| Oklahoma | 640 | $31,660 | $15.22 | |
| Oregon | 420 | $36,710 | $17.65 | |
| Pennsylvania | 240 | $41,250 | $19.83 | |
| South Carolina | 290 | $35,120 | $16.88 | |
| South Dakota | 90 | $43,030 | $20.69 | |
| Tennessee | 220 | $33,840 | $16.27 | |
| Texas | 1,630 | $31,320 | $15.06 | |
| Utah | 90 | $35,520 | $17.08 | |
| Vermont | 60 | $33,800 | $16.25 | |
| Virginia | 320 | $36,770 | $17.68 | |
| Washington | 810 | $35,940 | $17.28 | |
| Wisconsin | 600 | $39,150 | $18.82 | |
| Wyoming | 50 | $39,390 | $18.94 |
Education
The programs listed below are typically the education paths that can land you this kind of job.
A program that prepares individuals to operate specialized farm, ranch, and agribusiness power equipment of a stationary, mobile, or hand-operated nature. Includes instruction in operating specialized equipment such as terrestrial and airborne crop-spraying equipment; tractors and hauling equipment; planting and harvesting equipment; cutting equipment; power sources and systems for silos, irrigation, pumping, and applications such as dairy, feeding and shearing operations; processing equipment; and applicable electrical, mechanical, and safety principles.
-
$36,280 per yearNational average salaryVery HighJob growth rate
-
No formal educational credentialTypical education requirement
-
Moderate-term on-the-job trainingTypical on-the-job training requirement
Educational Attainment
The following chart shows the highest education level completed by those working as agricultural equipment operators.
- Less than high school 50%
- High school graduate 28%
- College dropout 11%
- Associate’s degree 4%
- Bachelor’s degree 6%
- Master’s degree 1%
- Doctorate degree 0%
Similar Careers
-
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$31,440 per year Average salarySlowJob growth rate
-
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,060 per year Average salarySlowJob growth rate