The median pay for Agricultural Equipment Operators is $41,730 a year ($20.06/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 8.6% through 2035, with about 10,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 45-2091
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Agricultural Equipment Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $41,730a year, or $20.06/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $59K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +8.6%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+8.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +8.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 10,10066,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202566.9K
- Projected 203572.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 66.9K Projected 2035 72.6K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school56.8%
- High school19.1%
- Certificate14.4%
- Some college9.5%
- Associate's0.1%
Highest education held by agricultural equipment operators Segment Value Less than high school 56.8% High school 19.1% Certificate 14.4% Some college 9.5% Associate's 0.1%
Also advertised as: Baler Operator, Cutter Operator, Equipment Operator, Farm Equipment Operator, Hay Baler, Loader Operator.
Pay
How much do Agricultural Equipment Operators make?
Every agricultural equipment operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$41,730
Middle half earn $36,810 to $48,100
- 10th
- $33,500
- 25th
- $36,810
- 75th
- $48,100
- 90th
- $58,650
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,500 |
| 25th | $36,810 |
| Median | $41,730 |
| 75th | $48,100 |
| 90th | $58,650 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $41,730
- Median hourly wage
- $20.06/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $43,710
- People employed
- 28,500
Versus all US occupations
At $41,730, Agricultural Equipment Operators earn 18% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,250 a year.
Versus farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
Inside the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry group, where the middle occupation pays $45,005, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $58,650 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,500, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 9% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Montana posts the highest raw median ($58,770), but once local prices are taken into account Louisiana leads at $66,344 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Agricultural Equipment Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Montana | $58,770 | $62,095 | 130 |
| 2Louisiana | $58,520 | $66,344 | 270 |
| 3New York | $50,020 | $46,349 | N/A |
| 4Delaware | $49,910 | $50,006 | 40 |
| 5Massachusetts | $49,150 | $46,474 | 40 |
| 6Minnesota | $48,520 | $49,198 | 900 |
| 7North Dakota | $48,080 | $54,047 | 430 |
| 8South Dakota | $48,060 | $54,252 | 240 |
| 9Virginia | $47,890 | $47,367 | 120 |
| 10Iowa | $47,220 | $53,805 | 1,530 |
Job outlook
Is Agricultural Equipment Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +8.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | +8.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Agricultural Equipment Operators to change 8.6% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.5× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,100 openings are projected each year, 15.1% of the 66,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of agricultural workers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of agricultural workers varies by occupation (see table).
Despite increased demand for crops and other agricultural products, demand for some types of farmworkers and agricultural workers is expected to be limited as agricultural establishments continue to use technologies that increase farmworkers’ productivity.
Getting in
How to become an Agricultural Equipment Operator
Most agricultural workers do not need a formal educational credential to enter these occupations; however, animal breeders typically need at least a high school diploma. Agricultural workers typically receive on-the-job training.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as agricultural equipment operators.
- Less than a High School Diploma56.8%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)19.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.4%
- Some College Courses9.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 56.8% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 19.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 14.4% |
| Some College Courses | 9.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Agricultural Equipment Operator do?
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.
Agricultural workers maintain crops and tend livestock. They perform physical labor and operate machinery under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- 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.
- Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because living crops and animals need constant care, workers’ schedules may vary to include early mornings, weekends, and holidays.
Many agricultural workers have seasonal schedules. Seasonal schedules typically include longer periods of work during planting or harvesting or when animals must be sheltered and fed.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Speaking2.8
- Monitoring2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.3
- Active Learning2.3
- Writing2.1
- Mathematics1.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.3 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
| Mathematics | 1.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.0
- Repairing3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.0 |
| Repairing | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Map creation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Agricultural Equipment Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Agricultural Equipment Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative2.5
- Enterprising1.3
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Agricultural Equipment Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Farmworker and Laborer, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
$35,660median a year
Most earn $33K to $46K
−2.4%No formal credential - Transportation and Material Moving
- Production
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$51,610median a year
Most earn $36K to $80K
−5.7%High school - Production
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$45,760median a year
Most earn $35K to $63K
+1.5%High school - Production
Milling and Planing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$52,800median a year
Most earn $38K to $81K
−13.2%High school - Production
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$48,540median a year
Most earn $37K to $69K
−1.7%High school
More farming, fishing, and forestry careers
Median annual pay, with agricultural equipment operators highlighted
- First-Line Supervisor of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$59,320
- Cannabis Cultivation Director$59,320
- Faller$52,100
- Animal Breeder$51,130
- Agricultural Inspector$49,940
- Logging Equipment Operator$49,740
- Log Grader and Scaler$46,330
- Agricultural Equipment Operator$41,730
- Farmworker and Laborer, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisor of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $59,320 |
| Cannabis Cultivation Director | $59,320 |
| Faller | $52,100 |
| Animal Breeder | $51,130 |
| Agricultural Inspector | $49,940 |
| Logging Equipment Operator | $49,740 |
| Log Grader and Scaler | $46,330 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operator | $41,730 |
| Farmworker and Laborer, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Agricultural Equipment Operator appears on
Questions
Agricultural Equipment Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Agricultural Equipment Operators make?
Agricultural Equipment Operators earn a median of $41,730 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 18% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.06/hr. The middle half earn between $36,810 and $48,100. The top 10% earn $58,650 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Agricultural Equipment Operator?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Agricultural Equipment Operators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.8% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Agricultural Equipment Operator a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.6% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 10,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Agricultural Equipment Operator do?
Agricultural workers maintain crops and tend livestock. A core O*NET task: attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Presentation software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Agricultural Equipment Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Agricultural Equipment Operators are Montana ($58,770), Louisiana ($58,520), New York ($50,020) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Louisiana moves to the top at $66,344.
What personality type suits an Agricultural Equipment Operator?
O*NET scores Agricultural Equipment Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.