Agricultural Equipment Operators

Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed

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.

Pay & job outlook

Median pay: $41,730/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)

$33,500$58,650

Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.

Job outlook: +7.7% projected growth, 2024–2034 — faster than average.

About 10,500 openings per year, on average, over the decade.

Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.

Top skills

Operation and ControlOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingQuality Control AnalysisEquipment MaintenanceActive ListeningRepairingCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessCoordination

Top knowledge areas

English LanguageMechanicalPublic Safety and SecurityMathematicsTransportationProduction and ProcessingCustomer and Personal ServiceChemistry

Core 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.

Frequently asked questions

What's the median pay for Agricultural Equipment Operators?

The median pay for Agricultural Equipment Operators is $41,730 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What's the job outlook for Agricultural Equipment Operators?

Employment for Agricultural Equipment Operators is projected to change +7.7% from 2024 to 2034 - faster than average.

What education is typically required for Agricultural Equipment Operators?

Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

How many job openings are there each year for Agricultural Equipment Operators?

About 10,500 openings per year, on average, over the decade.