Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of mobile heavy equipment mechanics to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 12,100 more jobs), with about 15,000 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $65,510 a year ranks 353rd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +6.7%
- Openings a year
- 15,000
- Median pay
- $65,510
- Pay rank
- 353rd of 825
Is employment of mobile heavy equipment mechanics growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of mobile heavy equipment mechanics to rise 6.7% (about 12,100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +5.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 51 installation, maintenance, and repair occupations with a projection. That change ranks 134th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 180,300 |
| Employment, 2035 | 192,500 |
| Projected change | +6.7% |
| Openings a year | 15,000 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 180,300 jobs here differ from the 176,600 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 15,000 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 198th most of 830 occupations. About 92% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,210 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for mobile heavy equipment mechanics rank?
The median of $65,510 a year ranks 353rd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
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: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: long-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | +17.8% | 44,400 | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | +3.6% | 24,400 | $61,770 |
| Maintenance Workers, Machinery | -1.9% | 4,400 | $60,850 |
| Rail Car Repairers | +2.6% | 1,600 | $67,530 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | +4.4% | 1,400 | $56,210 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | +10.7% | 3,700 | $56,550 |
| Millwrights | +0.9% | 3,200 | $65,700 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics | +2.3% | 3,800 | $47,880 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.