Agricultural Equipment Operator Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of agricultural equipment operators to grow 8.6% from 2025 to 2035 (about 5,700 more jobs), with about 10,100 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $41,730 a year ranks 707th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +8.6%
- Openings a year
- 10,100
- Median pay
- $41,730
- Pay rank
- 707th of 825
Is employment of agricultural equipment operators growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of agricultural equipment operators to rise 8.6% (about 5,700 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the -1.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 13 farming, fishing, and forestry occupations with a projection. That change ranks 87th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 66,900 |
| Employment, 2035 | 72,600 |
| Projected change | +8.6% |
| Openings a year | 10,100 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 66,900 jobs here differ from the 28,500 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 10,100 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 273rd most of 830 occupations. About 94% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 570 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for agricultural equipment operators rank?
The median of $41,730 a year ranks 707th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: no formal educational credential.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | -2.4% | 72,500 | $35,660 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | -13.1% | 4,000 | $41,220 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -5.7% | 5,200 | $51,610 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | +1.5% | 5,200 | $45,760 |
| Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | -13.2% | 1,000 | $52,800 |
| Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -1.7% | 2,300 | $48,540 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | -2.6% | 2,200 | $42,420 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | +1.5% | 64,700 | $46,420 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.