The median pay for Logging Equipment Operators is $49,740 a year ($23.91/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 3.8% through 2035, with about 3,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 45-4022
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Logging Equipment Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $49,740a year, or $23.91/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $74K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.8%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,70029,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202529.3K
- Projected 203528.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 29.3K Projected 2035 28.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school55.4%
- High school43.7%
- Certificate0.9%
Highest education held by logging equipment operators Segment Value Less than high school 55.4% High school 43.7% Certificate 0.9%
Also advertised as: Delimber Operator, Feller Buncher Operator, Harvester Operator, Loader Operator, Log Processor Operator, Logging Equipment Operator.
Pay
How much do Logging Equipment Operators make?
Every logging equipment operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$49,740
Middle half earn $43,970 to $61,050
- 10th
- $35,170
- 25th
- $43,970
- 75th
- $61,050
- 90th
- $74,300
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,170 |
| 25th | $43,970 |
| Median | $49,740 |
| 75th | $61,050 |
| 90th | $74,300 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $49,740
- Median hourly wage
- $23.91/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,190
- People employed
- 21,060
Versus all US occupations
At $49,740, the median for Logging Equipment Operators sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
Inside the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry group, where the middle occupation pays $45,005, this is 11% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $74,300 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,170, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 21% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($75,140), but once local prices are taken into account Illinois leads at $71,130 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Logging 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $75,140 | $70,216 | 1,150 |
| 2Illinois | $71,100 | $71,130 | 40 |
| 3Texas | $62,890 | $64,797 | 500 |
| 4California | $61,940 | $55,943 | 950 |
| 5South Dakota | $58,740 | $66,308 | 50 |
| 6Oregon | $58,720 | $56,811 | 1,860 |
| 7Louisiana | $58,600 | $66,435 | 770 |
| 8Minnesota | $58,590 | $59,409 | 320 |
| 9Montana | $56,530 | $59,728 | 190 |
| 10Idaho | $56,490 | $59,156 | 560 |
Job outlook
Is Logging Equipment Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Logging Equipment Operators | −3.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Logging Equipment Operators to change -3.8% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,700 openings are projected each year, 12.6% of the 29,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of logging workers is projected to grow 5 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.
The mechanization of logging operations and improvements in logging equipment have increased productivity, which is expected to reduce demand for logging workers. However, the need to prevent destructive wildfires by thinning susceptible forests is expected to support some employment.
Getting in
How to become a Logging Equipment Operator
Logging workers typically need a high school diploma, although some jobs do not require a formal educational credential. These workers get on-the-job training to become familiar with forest environments and to learn how to operate logging machinery.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 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 logging equipment operators.
- Less than a High School Diploma55.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)43.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 55.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 43.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Logging Equipment Operator do?
Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.
Some logging workers harvest trees using handheld equipment or large machinery. Others inspect, grade, or estimate the market value of harvested trees, which provide the raw material for consumer and industrial products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
- Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.
- Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
- Drive tractors for building or repairing logging and skid roads.
- Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
- Fill out required job or shift report forms.
- Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most logging workers are full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Work schedules may vary to include early mornings or extended shifts. Workers sometimes commute long distances between their homes and logging sites. Logging work may be seasonal in some regions of the country.
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 timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
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 important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
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
- Monitoring3.0
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Writing2.8
- Speaking2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.5
- Mathematics2.4
- Active Learning2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.5 |
| Mathematics | 2.4 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.0
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Repairing2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Human resources software
- Inventory management 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 a Logging Equipment Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Logging Equipment Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| 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.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional4.4
- Investigative1.8
- Social1.1
- Enterprising1.1
- Artistic1.0
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 Logging Equipment Operator
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More farming, fishing, and forestry careers
Median annual pay, with logging 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 Logging Equipment Operator appears on
Questions
Logging Equipment Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Logging Equipment Operators make?
Logging Equipment Operators earn a median of $49,740 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.91/hr. The middle half earn between $43,970 and $61,050. The top 10% earn $74,300 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Logging Equipment Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Logging Equipment Operators. 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, 55.4% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Logging Equipment Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.8% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Logging Equipment Operator do?
Some logging workers harvest trees using handheld equipment or large machinery. A core O*NET task: inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Logging Equipment Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Logging Equipment Operators are Washington ($75,140), Illinois ($71,100), Texas ($62,890) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Illinois moves to the top at $71,130.
What personality type suits a Logging Equipment Operator?
O*NET scores Logging 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.