Agricultural Equipment Operators
Agricultural Equipment Operators (SOC 45-2091) earn a median $41,730 a year ($20.06 an hour) in the United States, with 28,500 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Montana.
What agricultural equipment operators do
Agricultural equipment operators drive and control equipment that supports farm work, including tilling soil, planting and cultivating crops, harvesting them, feeding and herding livestock, and clearing away animal waste. They may bale crops or buck hay, and they may operate stationary equipment for post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning. They operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, including tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment, and they attach implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors with bolts and hand tools. They manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust machinery mechanisms, and they observe and listen to the machines to detect malfunctions. They adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and tell supervisors when it breaks down. Other duties include mixing chemicals and dumping solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery, spraying fertilizer or pesticide solutions with hand sprayers, and loading and unloading crops or containers of materials by hand, conveyor, handtruck, forklift, or transfer auger.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Agricultural Equipment Operator (Ag Equipment Operator), Agricultural Equipment Operators, Agricultural Farm Equipment Operator, Agricultural Plow Operator, Agriculture Equipment Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.11 | $17.70 | $20.06 | $23.12 | $28.20 | $21.02 | 28,500 |
| Annual | $33,500 | $36,810 | $41,730 | $48,100 | $58,650 | $43,710 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where agricultural equipment operators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Montana | Hourly | $13.84 | $21.87 | $28.25 | $31.68 | $35.41 | $26.15 | 130 | 0.26 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $28,790 | $45,500 | $58,770 | $65,890 | $73,650 | $54,400 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $15.48 | $17.48 | $28.14 | $29.33 | $31.01 | $24.54 | 270 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $32,190 | $36,350 | $58,520 | $61,000 | $64,510 | $51,050 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $19.57 | $21.75 | $24.05 | $26.38 | $36.99 | $24.88 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $40,700 | $45,250 | $50,020 | $54,870 | $76,940 | $51,740 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $18.01 | $22.17 | $24.00 | $27.45 | $29.00 | $24.59 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $37,460 | $46,120 | $49,910 | $57,100 | $60,330 | $51,150 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $17.51 | $18.07 | $23.63 | $27.95 | $28.98 | $22.92 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.06 |
| Annual | $36,430 | $37,590 | $49,150 | $58,140 | $60,290 | $47,670 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.13 | $17.77 | $18.66 | $22.16 | $26.24 | $20.54 | 7,940 | 0.44 | 2.38 |
| Annual | $35,620 | $36,960 | $38,820 | $46,090 | $54,580 | $42,730 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.81 | $14.35 | $16.47 | $18.01 | $21.50 | $16.97 | 2,200 | 0.16 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $24,550 | $29,850 | $34,260 | $37,470 | $44,720 | $35,300 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.11 | $18.90 | $22.14 | $23.37 | $28.03 | $22.71 | 1,910 | 0.31 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $37,660 | $39,310 | $46,050 | $48,600 | $58,300 | $47,230 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $17.80 | $20.68 | $22.70 | $27.87 | $29.98 | $23.79 | 1,530 | 0.98 | 5.37 |
| Annual | $37,020 | $43,010 | $47,220 | $57,960 | $62,360 | $49,480 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $18.22 | $19.71 | $22.44 | $27.77 | $29.47 | $23.59 | 1,090 | 1.07 | 5.83 |
| Annual | $37,900 | $41,000 | $46,670 | $57,760 | $61,300 | $49,070 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | Hourly | $19.84 | $22.82 | $26.14 | $28.49 | $31.10 | $26.04 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $41,260 | $47,470 | $54,380 | $59,250 | $64,680 | $54,160 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $20.32 | $23.24 | $25.81 | $28.16 | $29.84 | $25.65 | 180 | 0.09 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $42,260 | $48,340 | $53,680 | $58,570 | $62,060 | $53,350 | ||||
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | Hourly | $21.52 | $23.10 | $25.05 | $25.08 | $28.91 | $24.67 | 30 | 0.30 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $44,750 | $48,040 | $52,100 | $52,170 | $60,130 | $51,310 | ||||
| Columbus, OH | Hourly | $19.00 | $23.27 | $24.54 | $25.06 | $27.84 | $25.12 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $39,520 | $48,410 | $51,050 | $52,120 | $57,910 | $52,240 | ||||
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | Hourly | $17.08 | $20.49 | $24.03 | $29.08 | $33.63 | $24.60 | 50 | 0.66 | 3.59 |
| Annual | $35,530 | $42,620 | $49,990 | $60,480 | $69,960 | $51,160 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | $16.68 | $17.04 | $17.62 | $19.77 | $22.16 | $18.87 | 910 | 1.90 | 10.36 |
| Annual | $34,690 | $35,440 | $36,650 | $41,130 | $46,090 | $39,250 | ||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $16.66 | $17.22 | $17.76 | $21.27 | $21.94 | $19.23 | 700 | 2.07 | 11.30 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $35,830 | $36,930 | $44,240 | $45,630 | $39,990 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $17.66 | $17.90 | $18.63 | $20.04 | $25.02 | $19.80 | 680 | 3.65 | 19.90 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $37,240 | $38,740 | $41,680 | $52,040 | $41,180 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | $16.65 | $16.96 | $17.37 | $18.25 | $21.07 | $18.25 | 650 | 3.82 | 20.86 |
| Annual | $34,640 | $35,270 | $36,130 | $37,960 | $43,820 | $37,970 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $19.07 | $20.66 | $23.02 | $23.10 | $25.15 | $22.67 | 590 | 7.53 | 41.06 |
| Annual | $39,660 | $42,960 | $47,880 | $48,040 | $52,320 | $47,160 | ||||
Top industries employing agricultural equipment operators
Support Activities for Crop Production employ 51.5% of agricultural equipment operators nationally (14,680 jobs) at a median $37,600 a year ($18.08 an hour), followed by Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) (19.9%) and Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (8.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Crop Production NAICS 115100 | 14,680 | 51.5% | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) NAICS 4240A3 | 5,670 | 19.9% | $46,680 | $22.44 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424500 | 2,500 | 8.8% | $46,160 | $22.19 |
| Beverage Manufacturing NAICS 312100 | 640 | 2.2% | $47,880 | $23.02 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 530 | 1.9% | $61,430 | $29.53 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (28,500). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,360 for agricultural equipment operators in May 2021 and $41,730 in May 2025, with employment of 26,180 and 28,500.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,360 | $17.48 | 26,180 |
| May 2022 | $37,780 | $18.16 | 28,830 |
| May 2023 | $39,690 | $19.08 | 28,910 |
| May 2024 | $42,580 | $20.47 | 30,940 |
| May 2025 | $41,730 | $20.06 | 28,500 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
40 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana profile | $28.25 | $58,770 | $28,790 | $73,650 | 130 | 0.26 | 1.42 |
| 2 | Louisiana profile | $28.14 | $58,520 | $32,190 | $64,510 | 270 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
| 3 | New York profile | $24.05 | $50,020 | $40,700 | $76,940 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Delaware profile | $24.00 | $49,910 | $37,460 | $60,330 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $23.63 | $49,150 | $36,430 | $60,290 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.06 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $23.33 | $48,520 | $38,630 | $59,720 | 900 | 0.31 | 1.67 |
| 7 | North Dakota profile | $23.11 | $48,080 | $39,020 | $60,820 | 430 | 1.00 | 5.47 |
| 8 | South Dakota profile | $23.11 | $48,060 | $38,480 | $53,250 | 240 | 0.52 | 2.86 |
| 9 | Virginia profile | $23.02 | $47,890 | $39,780 | $60,910 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.16 |
| 10 | Iowa profile | $22.70 | $47,220 | $37,020 | $62,360 | 1,530 | 0.98 | 5.37 |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $22.70 | $47,220 | $37,340 | $59,640 | 600 | 0.11 | 0.59 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.64 | $47,100 | $33,780 | $60,590 | 390 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $22.65 | $47,100 | $36,430 | $61,010 | 830 | 0.28 | 1.53 |
| 14 | Nebraska profile | $22.44 | $46,670 | $37,900 | $61,300 | 1,090 | 1.07 | 5.83 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $22.35 | $46,490 | $46,490 | $57,290 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 16 | Missouri profile | $22.35 | $46,490 | $38,140 | $74,990 | 900 | 0.31 | 1.67 |
| 17 | Indiana profile | $22.25 | $46,280 | $39,100 | $57,940 | 810 | 0.25 | 1.39 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $22.14 | $46,050 | $37,660 | $58,300 | 1,910 | 0.31 | 1.71 |
| 19 | Kansas profile | $21.91 | $45,570 | $38,120 | $57,340 | 670 | 0.47 | 2.55 |
| 20 | Oregon profile | $21.23 | $44,150 | $36,930 | $53,880 | 310 | 0.16 | 0.87 |
| 21 | Michigan profile | $20.37 | $42,380 | $30,320 | $49,360 | 460 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| 22 | Kentucky profile | $20.19 | $42,000 | $36,940 | $84,880 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.52 |
| 23 | New Jersey profile | $20.03 | $41,660 | $35,790 | $51,420 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.09 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $19.03 | $39,580 | $38,400 | $50,890 | 180 | 0.07 | 0.37 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $19.03 | $39,580 | $26,110 | $49,240 | 550 | 0.11 | 0.61 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | $18.71 | $38,920 | $30,320 | $46,850 | 490 | 0.58 | 3.14 |
| 27 | California profile | $18.66 | $38,820 | $35,620 | $54,580 | 7,940 | 0.44 | 2.38 |
| 28 | Washington profile | $18.50 | $38,470 | $36,610 | $59,270 | 550 | 0.15 | 0.84 |
| 29 | Tennessee profile | $18.15 | $37,750 | $26,380 | $54,070 | 390 | 0.12 | 0.65 |
| 30 | Colorado profile | $17.93 | $37,290 | $32,410 | $48,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 31 | Florida profile | $17.62 | $36,660 | $30,060 | $50,260 | 790 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| 32 | Arizona profile | $17.60 | $36,600 | $32,910 | $42,510 | 730 | 0.22 | 1.22 |
| 33 | Mississippi profile | $17.53 | $36,460 | $20,340 | $43,430 | 280 | 0.24 | 1.31 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $17.11 | $35,580 | $27,730 | $46,000 | 130 | 0.15 | 0.84 |
| 35 | Georgia profile | $17.02 | $35,410 | $28,890 | $46,910 | 570 | 0.12 | 0.64 |
| 36 | Oklahoma profile | $16.78 | $34,900 | $25,360 | $73,570 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.56 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $16.58 | $34,490 | $29,370 | $46,180 | 380 | 0.16 | 0.90 |
| 38 | Texas profile | $16.47 | $34,260 | $24,550 | $44,720 | 2,200 | 0.16 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $16.30 | $33,910 | $27,360 | $44,930 | 370 | 0.18 | 0.96 |
| 40 | Arkansas profile | $15.41 | $32,060 | $28,760 | $45,090 | 350 | 0.27 | 1.48 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (45-2090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 45-2091 Agricultural Equipment Operators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 45-2091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 45-2091.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.