45 Series · SOC 45-2091
Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $41,730
- Median / year
- $58,650
- Top 10% earn
- +7.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 28,500
- US workers
Agricultural Equipment Operators earn a median of $41,730 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $41,730, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,500 (10th percentile) to $58,650 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 28,500 US workers. Montana pays the most ($58,770), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Agricultural Equipment Operators earn a median of $41,730, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 14% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, it ranks #9 of 13 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 7.7% by 2033.
- $41,730
- Median annual wage
- Top 86%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #9 of 13
- in Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- 1.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Montana at $58,770. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Agricultural Equipment Operators (SOC 45-2091) pays a national median of $41,730 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,500 at the 10th percentile to $58,650 at the 90th, with a mean of $43,710 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 28,500 Americans work in this occupation across 40 reporting states and 140 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 10,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 23.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Montana pays the highest state median at $58,770, which is +41% above the national figure. The top metro is Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area at $61,190 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$41,730
per year
Median Hourly
$20.06/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$43,710
average
Employment
28,500
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Agricultural Equipment Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$41,730 Bottom 14% higher than 14% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 45-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Agricultural Equipment Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 13 45-series occupations with growth data, Agricultural Equipment Operators sits on the faster-growing side at +7.7% growth and $41,730 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+7.7%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
10,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
23.5/100K
Injury Rate
2.2/100
Danger Index
20.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Agricultural Equipment Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key 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.
- ▸ Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
- ▸ Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
- ▸ Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- ▸ Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.
- ▸ Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,500
25th Percentile
$36,810
Median
$41,730
75th Percentile
$48,100
90th Percentile
$58,650
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 40 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $58,770 | +41% above national |
| 2 | Louisiana | $58,520 | +40% above national |
| 3 | New York | $50,020 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Delaware | $49,910 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $49,150 | +18% above national |
| 6 | Minnesota | $48,520 | +16% above national |
| 7 | North Dakota | $48,080 | +15% above national |
| 8 | South Dakota | $48,060 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Virginia | $47,890 | +15% above national |
| 10 | Iowa | $47,220 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $47,220 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $47,100 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $47,100 | +13% above national |
| 14 | Nebraska | $46,670 | +12% above national |
| 15 | Maine | $46,490 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Missouri | $46,490 | +11% above national |
| 17 | Indiana | $46,280 | +11% above national |
| 18 | Illinois | $46,050 | +10% above national |
| 19 | Kansas | $45,570 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Oregon | $44,150 | +6% above national |
| 21 | Michigan | $42,380 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Kentucky | $42,000 | +1% above national |
| 23 | New Jersey | $41,660 | same as national |
| 24 | Maryland | $39,580 | 5% below national |
| 25 | North Carolina | $39,580 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Idaho | $38,920 | 7% below national |
| 27 | California | $38,820 | 7% below national |
| 28 | Washington | $38,470 | 8% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $37,750 | 10% below national |
| 30 | Colorado | $37,290 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Florida | $36,660 | 12% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $36,600 | 12% below national |
| 33 | Mississippi | $36,460 | 13% below national |
| 34 | New Mexico | $35,580 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Georgia | $35,410 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $34,900 | 16% below national |
| 37 | South Carolina | $34,490 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Texas | $34,260 | 18% below national |
| 39 | Alabama | $33,910 | 19% below national |
| 40 | Arkansas | $32,060 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 140 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $61,190 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $54,380 | +30% above national |
| 3 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $53,680 | +29% above national |
| 4 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $52,270 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $52,100 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $51,050 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $49,990 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Dubuque, IA | $49,440 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $49,410 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,220 | +18% above national |
| 11 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $49,130 | +18% above national |
| 12 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,130 | +18% above national |
| 13 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $49,100 | +18% above national |
| 14 | Fargo, ND-MN | $48,710 | +17% above national |
| 15 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $48,620 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Mankato, MN | $48,520 | +16% above national |
| 17 | Medford, OR | $48,510 | +16% above national |
| 18 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $48,460 | +16% above national |
| 19 | Terre Haute, IN | $48,330 | +16% above national |
| 20 | Eau Claire, WI | $48,250 | +16% above national |
| 21 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $48,200 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $48,160 | +15% above national |
| 23 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $48,020 | +15% above national |
| 24 | Omaha, NE-IA | $48,010 | +15% above national |
| 25 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $47,900 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Napa, CA | $47,880 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,760 | +14% above national |
| 28 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $47,670 | +14% above national |
| 29 | Ames, IA | $47,610 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,610 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Evansville, IN | $47,500 | +14% above national |
| 32 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,280 | +13% above national |
| 33 | Green Bay, WI | $47,220 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $47,080 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $47,060 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $46,970 | +13% above national |
| 37 | Iowa City, IA | $46,940 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $46,840 | +12% above national |
| 39 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,820 | +12% above national |
| 40 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $46,800 | +12% above national |
| 41 | Albany, OR | $46,770 | +12% above national |
| 42 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,610 | +12% above national |
| 43 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $46,560 | +12% above national |
| 44 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,550 | +12% above national |
| 45 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,530 | +12% above national |
| 46 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,520 | +11% above national |
| 47 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $46,490 | +11% above national |
| 48 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,380 | +11% above national |
| 49 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $46,320 | +11% above national |
| 50 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,300 | +11% above national |
| 51 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,250 | +11% above national |
| 52 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $46,240 | +11% above national |
| 53 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $46,220 | +11% above national |
| 54 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,160 | +11% above national |
| 55 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $46,160 | +11% above national |
| 56 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,150 | +11% above national |
| 57 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $46,060 | +10% above national |
| 58 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,050 | +10% above national |
| 59 | Lincoln, NE | $45,980 | +10% above national |
| 60 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,960 | +10% above national |
| 61 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,940 | +10% above national |
| 62 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,940 | +10% above national |
| 63 | Wichita, KS | $45,860 | +10% above national |
| 64 | Topeka, KS | $45,850 | +10% above national |
| 65 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $45,760 | +10% above national |
| 66 | Peoria, IL | $45,610 | +9% above national |
| 67 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,470 | +9% above national |
| 68 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,350 | +9% above national |
| 69 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $45,310 | +9% above national |
| 70 | Bloomington, IL | $45,280 | +9% above national |
| 71 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $45,250 | +8% above national |
| 72 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,180 | +8% above national |
| 73 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $44,810 | +7% above national |
| 74 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $44,660 | +7% above national |
| 75 | Grand Island, NE | $44,310 | +6% above national |
| 76 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $44,260 | +6% above national |
| 77 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,230 | +6% above national |
| 78 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $44,150 | +6% above national |
| 79 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $44,090 | +6% above national |
| 80 | Lancaster, PA | $43,720 | +5% above national |
| 81 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $43,330 | +4% above national |
| 82 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $42,430 | +2% above national |
| 83 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $42,380 | +2% above national |
| 84 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $41,930 | same as national |
| 85 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $41,910 | same as national |
| 86 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $41,230 | 1% below national |
| 87 | Boise City, ID | $40,620 | 3% below national |
| 88 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $40,290 | 3% below national |
| 89 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $40,190 | 4% below national |
| 90 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $40,150 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Salem, OR | $40,120 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $39,940 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Yakima, WA | $39,890 | 4% below national |
| 94 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $39,510 | 5% below national |
| 95 | Idaho Falls, ID | $38,920 | 7% below national |
| 96 | Salinas, CA | $38,740 | 7% below national |
| 97 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $38,630 | 7% below national |
| 98 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $38,400 | 8% below national |
| 99 | Modesto, CA | $38,320 | 8% below national |
| 100 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $38,280 | 8% below national |
| 101 | Twin Falls, ID | $38,080 | 9% below national |
| 102 | Vallejo, CA | $38,070 | 9% below national |
| 103 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $38,040 | 9% below national |
| 104 | Yuba City, CA | $37,890 | 9% below national |
| 105 | Jackson, MS | $37,830 | 9% below national |
| 106 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,810 | 9% below national |
| 107 | Merced, CA | $37,570 | 10% below national |
| 108 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $37,520 | 10% below national |
| 109 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $37,470 | 10% below national |
| 110 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $37,420 | 10% below national |
| 111 | Corpus Christi, TX | $37,410 | 10% below national |
| 112 | El Centro, CA | $37,200 | 11% below national |
| 113 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $37,180 | 11% below national |
| 114 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $36,930 | 12% below national |
| 115 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $36,900 | 12% below national |
| 116 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $36,890 | 12% below national |
| 117 | Jackson, TN | $36,660 | 12% below national |
| 118 | Fresno, CA | $36,650 | 12% below national |
| 119 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $36,610 | 12% below national |
| 120 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $36,600 | 12% below national |
| 121 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $36,350 | 13% below national |
| 122 | Visalia, CA | $36,130 | 13% below national |
| 123 | Dothan, AL | $36,050 | 14% below national |
| 124 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $35,490 | 15% below national |
| 125 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $35,050 | 16% below national |
| 126 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $35,010 | 16% below national |
| 127 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $34,900 | 16% below national |
| 128 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $34,880 | 16% below national |
| 129 | Lubbock, TX | $34,570 | 17% below national |
| 130 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $34,260 | 18% below national |
| 131 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $34,070 | 18% below national |
| 132 | Albany, GA | $33,600 | 19% below national |
| 133 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $33,280 | 20% below national |
| 134 | Columbia, SC | $31,820 | 24% below national |
| 135 | Jonesboro, AR | $30,760 | 26% below national |
| 136 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $30,050 | 28% below national |
| 137 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $30,050 | 28% below national |
| 138 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $29,850 | 28% below national |
| 139 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $29,150 | 30% below national |
| 140 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $27,920 | 33% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 45 (farming fishing and forestry) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Agricultural Equipment Operators make? ▼
What state pays Agricultural Equipment Operators the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Agricultural Equipment Operators? ▼
How dangerous is being a Agricultural Equipment Operators? ▼
Is Agricultural Equipment Operators a good career? ▼
How does Agricultural Equipment Operators pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Agricultural Equipment Operators? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Agricultural Equipment Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $48,100/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Montana leads at $58,770/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.