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.
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines earn a median of $65,510 per year ($31.50/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.8% through 2034, with about 16,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 49-3042Installation, Maintenance, and RepairLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $65,510
- Projected growth
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 16,500
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Construction Equipment Mechanic, Equipment Mechanic, Equipment Technician, Field Mechanic, Field Service Technician, Field Technician.
How much do Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines make?
10th percentile$46,820
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$56,970
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$65,510
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$79,270
Upper quartile
90th percentile$94,460
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $65,510 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $31.50/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $69,240 |
| People employed | 176,600 |
Versus all US occupations
At $65,510, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines earn 29% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $14,530 a year.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $60,460, this is 8% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $94,460 or more while the bottom 10% earn $46,820, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 51% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Alaska posts the highest raw median ($82,670), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $85,466 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $82,670 | $80,765 | 1,430 |
| Nevada | $79,860 | $79,877 | 2,870 |
| Minnesota | $79,370 | $80,480 | 2,890 |
| Hawaii | $79,170 | $72,005 | 530 |
| Washington | $78,620 | $73,468 | 3,900 |
| California | $78,550 | $70,945 | 20,080 |
| Connecticut | $78,190 | $75,466 | 1,080 |
| New Jersey | $78,180 | $71,853 | 3,520 |
| Massachusetts | $76,070 | $71,929 | 1,620 |
| North Dakota | $76,030 | $85,466 | 1,720 |
Is Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines a growing career?
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines5.8%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.8% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines to change 5.8% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 10,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 16,500 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 188,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
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 heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians varies by occupation (see table).
As the stock of heavy vehicles and mobile equipment continues to increase, more service technicians are expected to be needed to maintain it.
How to become a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines
Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. Because vehicle and equipment technology is increasingly sophisticated and computerized, some employers prefer to hire service technicians who have completed a formal training program at a postsecondary institution.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Long-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines.
- Post-Secondary Certificate54.6%
- High School Diploma29.6%
- Some College Courses7.9%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)5.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma2.7%
What does a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines do?
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.
Day-to-day tasks
- Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
- Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
- Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
- Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
- Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
- Clean, lubricate, and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles.
- Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
- Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking3.3/5
- Reading Comprehension3.1/5
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Writing3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Active Learning3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Mathematics2.9/5
Transferable skills
- Troubleshooting4.1/5
- Repairing4.1/5
- Equipment Maintenance4.0/5
- Operations Monitoring3.8/5
- Operation and Control3.6/5
- Equipment Selection3.4/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary7.0
Investigativeprimary3.5
Artistic1.0
Social1.0
Enterprising1.0
Conventionalprimary4.3
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.
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.
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines: frequently asked questions
How much do Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines make?
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines earn a median of $65,510 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 29% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $31.50/hr. The middle half earn between $56,970 and $79,270. The top 10% earn $94,460 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 54.6% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 16,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines do?
Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries. A core O*NET task: repair and replace damaged or worn parts. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines the most?
The highest state medians for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines are Alaska ($82,670), Nevada ($79,860), Minnesota ($79,370) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $85,466.
What personality type suits a Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines?
O*NET scores Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative 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 923 occupations in the bank.