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
- -2%
- 2024→2025
- $58,650
- Top 10% earn
- +7.7%
- Growth '24–'34
- 28,500
- Estimated US jobs
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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Montana ($58,770).
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 2034.
- $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.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Agricultural Equipment Operators moved from $31,950 in May 2019 to $41,730 in May 2025 (+30.6%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Agricultural Equipment Operators sits +6.2 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Agricultural Equipment Operators (SOC 45-2091) has a national median of $41,730 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $33,500 to $58,650, and the published mean is $43,710. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 28,500 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 40 state or territory areas and 140 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $42,580 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $41,730 in May 2025, a fall of $850 (-2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 10,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN at $54,380. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$41,730 · 14th percentile of 825 US occupations
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).
Read the chart as text
- Farmworkers and Labo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.3%, Median annual wage $35660
- Farmworkers, Farm, R…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5%, Median annual wage $36670
- Agricultural Equipme…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $41730
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $59320
- Graders and Sorters,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.4%, Median annual wage $35730
- Logging Equipment Op…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.4%, Median annual wage $49740
- Agricultural Inspect…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $49940
- Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.7%, Median annual wage $43680
- Agricultural Workers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $39850
- Fallers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.3%, Median annual wage $52100
- Log Graders and Scal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $46330
- Logging Workers, All…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.7%, Median annual wage $50840
- Animal Breeders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.4%, Median annual wage $51130
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)
Employment Change
+5,000
65,200 (2024) → 70,300 (2034)
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 →Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Agricultural Equipment Operators pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $27,840 |
| 2016 | $28,850 |
| 2017 | $30,110 |
| 2018 | $31,190 |
| 2019 | $31,950 |
| 2020 | $32,750 |
| 2021 | $36,360 |
| 2022 | $37,780 |
| 2023 | $39,690 |
| 2024 | $42,580 |
| 2025 | $41,730 |
2015 median
$27,840
2025 median
$41,730
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$9,780 (+30.6%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $27,840 | First banked release | 27,200 |
| May 2016 | $28,850 | +3.6% | 28,700 |
| May 2017 | $30,110 | +4.4% | 26,070 |
| May 2018 | $31,190 | +3.6% | 26,060 |
| May 2019 | $31,950 | Classification break | 26,990 |
| May 2020 | $32,750 | +2.5% | 29,220 |
| May 2021 | $36,360 | +11.0% | 26,180 |
| May 2022 | $37,780 | +3.9% | 28,830 |
| May 2023 | $39,690 | +5.1% | 28,910 |
| May 2024 | $42,580 | +7.3% | 30,940 |
| May 2025 | $41,730 | -2.0% | 28,500 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $27,840 in May 2015 to $41,730 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 26,990 in May 2019 to 28,500 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
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 77 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $54,380 | +30% above national |
| 2 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $53,680 | +29% above national |
| 3 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $52,100 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $51,050 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $49,990 | +20% above national |
| 6 | Dubuque, IA | $49,440 | +18% above national |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $49,410 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,220 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Fargo, ND-MN | $48,710 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Mankato, MN | $48,520 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Medford, OR | $48,510 | +16% above national |
| 12 | Terre Haute, IN | $48,330 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Eau Claire, WI | $48,250 | +16% above national |
| 14 | Omaha, NE-IA | $48,010 | +15% above national |
| 15 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $47,900 | +15% above national |
| 16 | Napa, CA | $47,880 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Ames, IA | $47,610 | +14% above national |
| 18 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,610 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Evansville, IN | $47,500 | +14% above national |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,280 | +13% above national |
| 21 | Green Bay, WI | $47,220 | +13% above national |
| 22 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $47,080 | +13% above national |
| 23 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $47,060 | +13% above national |
| 24 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $46,970 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Iowa City, IA | $46,940 | +12% above national |
| 26 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $46,840 | +12% above national |
| 27 | Albany, OR | $46,770 | +12% above national |
| 28 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $46,220 | +11% above national |
| 29 | Lincoln, NE | $45,980 | +10% above national |
| 30 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,960 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Wichita, KS | $45,860 | +10% above national |
| 32 | Topeka, KS | $45,850 | +10% above national |
| 33 | Peoria, IL | $45,610 | +9% above national |
| 34 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,470 | +9% above national |
| 35 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $45,310 | +9% above national |
| 36 | Bloomington, IL | $45,280 | +9% above national |
| 37 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $44,810 | +7% above national |
| 38 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $44,660 | +7% above national |
| 39 | Grand Island, NE | $44,310 | +6% above national |
| 40 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $44,260 | +6% above national |
| 41 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,230 | +6% above national |
| 42 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $44,150 | +6% above national |
| 43 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $44,090 | +6% above national |
| 44 | Lancaster, PA | $43,720 | +5% above national |
| 45 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $41,930 | same as national |
| 46 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $41,910 | same as national |
| 47 | Boise City, ID | $40,620 | 3% below national |
| 48 | Salem, OR | $40,120 | 4% below national |
| 49 | Yakima, WA | $39,890 | 4% below national |
| 50 | Idaho Falls, ID | $38,920 | 7% below national |
| 51 | Salinas, CA | $38,740 | 7% below national |
| 52 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $38,400 | 8% below national |
| 53 | Modesto, CA | $38,320 | 8% below national |
| 54 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $38,280 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Twin Falls, ID | $38,080 | 9% below national |
| 56 | Vallejo, CA | $38,070 | 9% below national |
| 57 | Yuba City, CA | $37,890 | 9% below national |
| 58 | Jackson, MS | $37,830 | 9% below national |
| 59 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,810 | 9% below national |
| 60 | Merced, CA | $37,570 | 10% below national |
| 61 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $37,420 | 10% below national |
| 62 | Corpus Christi, TX | $37,410 | 10% below national |
| 63 | El Centro, CA | $37,200 | 11% below national |
| 64 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $36,930 | 12% below national |
| 65 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $36,890 | 12% below national |
| 66 | Jackson, TN | $36,660 | 12% below national |
| 67 | Fresno, CA | $36,650 | 12% below national |
| 68 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $36,610 | 12% below national |
| 69 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $36,600 | 12% below national |
| 70 | Visalia, CA | $36,130 | 13% below national |
| 71 | Dothan, AL | $36,050 | 14% below national |
| 72 | Lubbock, TX | $34,570 | 17% below national |
| 73 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $34,070 | 18% below national |
| 74 | Albany, GA | $33,600 | 19% below national |
| 75 | Columbia, SC | $31,820 | 24% below national |
| 76 | Jonesboro, AR | $30,760 | 26% below national |
| 77 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $29,150 | 30% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 45 (Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Agricultural Inspectors
SOC 45-2011
Agricultural Workers, All Other
SOC 45-2099
Animal Breeders
SOC 45-2021
Fallers
SOC 45-4021
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
SOC 45-2092
Showing 5 of 12 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($41,730 here) and reported employment (28,500 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Agricultural Equipment Operators make? ▼
Where does Agricultural Equipment Operators pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Agricultural Equipment Operators the most? ▼
What education do Agricultural Equipment Operators need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for 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
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $48,100/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.