Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians (SOC 49-3041) earn a median $56,550 a year ($27.19 an hour) in the United States, with 37,870 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nevada.
What farm equipment mechanics and service technicians do
Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians diagnose, adjust, repair and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, including tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment and irrigation systems. They look and listen to the equipment, read inspection reports and talk with customers to pin down and diagnose faults. Defective machines are dismantled with hand tools; defective parts are repaired or replaced using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders or saws, and parts are cleaned and lubricated. Electrical components and wiring are tested and replaced using test meters, soldering equipment and hand tools. After repair, machines are reassembled, operation is tested, and adjustments are made as necessary. The mechanic records the details of repairs made and parts used. Listed titles include combine mechanic, dairy equipment installer, dairy service technician and agricultural equipment mechanic. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (49-3031) are excluded.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most common level is a postsecondary certificate earned through a training program after high school.
Also called: Agricultural Equipment Mechanic (Ag Equipment Mechanic), Agricultural Mechanic (Ag Mechanic), Agricultural Service Technician (Ag Service Tech), Assembly Repairer, Combine Mechanic.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.01 | $22.33 | $27.19 | $31.53 | $37.86 | $27.54 | 37,870 |
| Annual | $37,470 | $46,450 | $56,550 | $65,580 | $78,740 | $57,290 | ||
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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians 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 | ||||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $23.74 | $24.15 | $31.37 | $35.62 | $43.83 | $30.55 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $49,380 | $50,230 | $65,250 | $74,100 | $91,170 | $63,540 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $23.14 | $27.72 | $30.30 | $38.49 | $43.40 | $32.41 | 770 | 1.80 | 7.40 |
| Annual | $48,120 | $57,660 | $63,030 | $80,050 | $90,260 | $67,410 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $23.12 | $27.20 | $29.95 | $34.13 | $37.82 | $30.64 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $48,090 | $56,580 | $62,300 | $70,990 | $78,660 | $63,730 | ||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | $22.48 | $24.60 | $29.87 | $37.03 | $38.40 | $30.55 | 820 | 1.79 | 7.35 |
| Annual | $46,750 | $51,170 | $62,140 | $77,020 | $79,880 | $63,550 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $21.37 | $25.24 | $29.73 | $36.56 | $37.74 | $29.88 | 70 | 0.15 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $44,460 | $52,500 | $61,850 | $76,040 | $78,510 | $62,150 | ||||
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 | $18.54 | $21.95 | $25.86 | $36.58 | $40.00 | $28.84 | 4,730 | 0.26 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $38,560 | $45,650 | $53,790 | $76,090 | $83,200 | $59,990 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $21.25 | $23.69 | $28.78 | $35.95 | $37.44 | $29.46 | 2,210 | 1.42 | 5.83 |
| Annual | $44,190 | $49,270 | $59,860 | $74,770 | $77,880 | $61,270 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.56 | $22.26 | $27.47 | $31.31 | $37.84 | $27.85 | 2,200 | 0.16 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $36,530 | $46,310 | $57,150 | $65,130 | $78,700 | $57,930 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $16.61 | $21.85 | $24.18 | $29.80 | $33.82 | $25.51 | 2,130 | 1.49 | 6.09 |
| Annual | $34,550 | $45,460 | $50,290 | $61,990 | $70,340 | $53,050 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $19.43 | $23.40 | $28.57 | $35.43 | $41.00 | $29.95 | 1,770 | 0.29 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $40,420 | $48,680 | $59,430 | $73,690 | $85,270 | $62,300 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $24.56 | $28.80 | $37.90 | $37.92 | $46.48 | $35.17 | 40 | 0.30 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $51,070 | $59,900 | $78,830 | $78,870 | $96,670 | $73,150 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.90 | $27.82 | $36.49 | $38.98 | $47.05 | $34.65 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $49,710 | $57,860 | $75,900 | $81,080 | $97,870 | $72,070 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.12 | $27.67 | $35.68 | $44.43 | $49.72 | $36.34 | 140 | 0.06 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $54,340 | $57,540 | $74,210 | $92,410 | $103,430 | $75,580 | ||||
| Bellingham, WA | Hourly | $23.54 | $28.87 | $34.83 | $37.66 | $44.37 | $33.84 | 70 | 0.82 | 3.35 |
| Annual | $48,960 | $60,040 | $72,440 | $78,330 | $92,280 | $70,380 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.34 | $25.07 | $33.02 | $39.03 | $45.69 | $33.50 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.16 |
| Annual | $46,470 | $52,150 | $68,690 | $81,180 | $95,040 | $69,680 | ||||
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 | $18.01 | $21.08 | $23.44 | $36.07 | $37.77 | $27.71 | 530 | 1.11 | 4.57 |
| Annual | $37,460 | $43,840 | $48,760 | $75,020 | $78,550 | $57,630 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | $18.00 | $21.27 | $22.75 | $30.10 | $34.69 | $25.52 | 440 | 2.58 | 10.58 |
| Annual | $37,440 | $44,240 | $47,320 | $62,610 | $72,160 | $53,090 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $18.46 | $19.53 | $22.79 | $30.71 | $38.20 | $26.13 | 410 | 2.18 | 8.93 |
| Annual | $38,390 | $40,610 | $47,400 | $63,890 | $79,450 | $54,350 | ||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $17.00 | $19.10 | $22.70 | $29.60 | $36.76 | $25.27 | 400 | 1.17 | 4.82 |
| Annual | $35,360 | $39,720 | $47,210 | $61,570 | $76,460 | $52,550 | ||||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | Hourly | $18.07 | $23.52 | $24.18 | $30.03 | $33.36 | $25.94 | 400 | 0.36 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $37,580 | $48,920 | $50,290 | $62,460 | $69,380 | $53,950 | ||||
Top industries employing farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers employ 70.5% of farm equipment mechanics and service technicians nationally (26,710 jobs) at a median $59,210 a year ($28.46 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Crop Production (8.5%) and Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (4.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423800 | 26,710 | 70.5% | $59,210 | $28.46 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production NAICS 115100 | 3,230 | 8.5% | $45,370 | $21.81 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811300 | 1,710 | 4.5% | $52,040 | $25.02 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) NAICS 4240A3 | 1,340 | 3.5% | $51,540 | $24.78 |
| Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers NAICS 444200 | 1,160 | 3.1% | $54,720 | $26.31 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (37,870). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,910 for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians in May 2021 and $56,550 in May 2025, with employment of 35,030 and 37,870.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,910 | $22.55 | 35,030 |
| May 2022 | $48,010 | $23.08 | 35,280 |
| May 2023 | $49,210 | $23.66 | 36,830 |
| May 2024 | $52,080 | $25.04 | 36,880 |
| May 2025 | $56,550 | $27.19 | 37,870 |
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
47 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 | Nevada profile | $31.37 | $65,250 | $49,380 | $91,170 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| 2 | North Dakota profile | $30.30 | $63,030 | $48,120 | $90,260 | 770 | 1.80 | 7.40 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $29.95 | $62,300 | $48,090 | $78,660 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.25 |
| 4 | South Dakota profile | $29.87 | $62,140 | $46,750 | $79,880 | 820 | 1.79 | 7.35 |
| 5 | Delaware profile | $29.73 | $61,850 | $44,460 | $78,510 | 70 | 0.15 | 0.63 |
| 6 | Montana profile | $29.67 | $61,710 | $41,630 | $81,240 | 400 | 0.78 | 3.18 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $29.51 | $61,370 | $46,090 | $87,360 | 1,120 | 0.32 | 1.30 |
| 8 | Wyoming profile | $29.27 | $60,880 | $38,650 | $82,020 | 90 | 0.33 | 1.33 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $29.24 | $60,830 | $45,520 | $85,740 | 660 | 0.34 | 1.38 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | $29.07 | $60,460 | $39,120 | $78,020 | 1,200 | 0.38 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $29.02 | $60,360 | $46,320 | $75,980 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Iowa profile | $28.78 | $59,860 | $44,190 | $77,880 | 2,210 | 1.42 | 5.83 |
| 13 | Idaho profile | $28.65 | $59,600 | $42,200 | $78,330 | 680 | 0.79 | 3.25 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $28.57 | $59,430 | $40,420 | $85,270 | 1,770 | 0.29 | 1.19 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $28.31 | $58,880 | $41,630 | $85,550 | 130 | 0.20 | 0.82 |
| 16 | Wisconsin profile | $28.31 | $58,870 | $38,660 | $74,800 | 1,560 | 0.53 | 2.18 |
| 17 | Oklahoma profile | $28.30 | $58,860 | $40,670 | $74,540 | 380 | 0.22 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $28.25 | $58,750 | $45,950 | $73,590 | 130 | 0.43 | 1.76 |
| 19 | Connecticut profile | $28.22 | $58,690 | $42,430 | $77,900 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| 20 | Minnesota profile | $27.90 | $58,040 | $37,810 | $76,950 | 1,620 | 0.55 | 2.26 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $27.47 | $57,150 | $36,530 | $78,700 | 2,200 | 0.16 | 0.64 |
| 22 | New York profile | $27.19 | $56,550 | $43,670 | $73,680 | 650 | 0.07 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $26.96 | $56,070 | $34,730 | $82,980 | 190 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 24 | Colorado profile | $26.64 | $55,400 | $31,200 | $83,190 | 270 | 0.10 | 0.39 |
| 25 | California profile | $25.86 | $53,790 | $38,560 | $83,200 | 4,730 | 0.26 | 1.07 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $25.78 | $53,630 | $32,580 | $98,590 | 700 | 0.22 | 0.89 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $25.67 | $53,400 | $30,430 | $78,980 | 1,300 | 0.24 | 0.96 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | $24.68 | $51,330 | $37,470 | $73,850 | 960 | 0.33 | 1.35 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.67 | $51,310 | $35,250 | $64,500 | 990 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $24.46 | $50,870 | $38,170 | $73,990 | 980 | 0.22 | 0.91 |
| 31 | North Carolina profile | $24.40 | $50,750 | $37,150 | $93,240 | 300 | 0.06 | 0.25 |
| 32 | New Hampshire profile | $24.21 | $50,360 | $44,760 | $68,410 | 70 | 0.10 | 0.43 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | $24.18 | $50,290 | $34,550 | $70,340 | 2,130 | 1.49 | 6.09 |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $24.12 | $50,170 | $38,030 | $79,330 | 570 | 0.12 | 0.48 |
| 35 | Alabama profile | $24.04 | $50,000 | $35,930 | $76,780 | 680 | 0.32 | 1.32 |
| 36 | Hawaii profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $46,840 | $69,950 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.26 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $36,750 | $75,810 | 120 | 0.14 | 0.59 |
| 38 | Nebraska profile | $23.95 | $49,810 | $36,390 | $77,340 | 1,770 | 1.73 | 7.09 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $23.57 | $49,030 | $30,970 | $76,420 | 790 | 0.61 | 2.50 |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | $23.57 | $49,030 | $36,870 | $63,850 | 520 | 0.44 | 1.82 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $23.54 | $48,970 | $28,070 | $76,490 | 800 | 0.40 | 1.65 |
| 42 | Florida profile | $23.25 | $48,360 | $35,100 | $68,040 | 800 | 0.08 | 0.33 |
| 43 | Louisiana profile | $23.24 | $48,330 | $36,430 | $77,430 | 320 | 0.17 | 0.69 |
| 44 | Tennessee profile | $23.00 | $47,830 | $36,090 | $74,880 | 1,030 | 0.31 | 1.28 |
| 45 | Virginia profile | $22.93 | $47,700 | $36,030 | $61,900 | 460 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 46 | South Carolina profile | $22.42 | $46,640 | $35,050 | $72,180 | 260 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $31,760 | $62,530 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.33 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-3040), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 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 49-3041 Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians.
**- 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 49-3041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-3041.00, 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.