Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

45-2091 Agricultural Equipment Operators

Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste. May perform tasks such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.


National estimates for Agricultural Equipment Operators
Industry profile for Agricultural Equipment Operators
Geographic profile for Agricultural Equipment Operators

National estimates for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
28,830 4.2 % $ 19.11 $ 39,750 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.64 $ 16.13 $ 18.16 $ 21.60 $ 24.86
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,370 $ 33,540 $ 37,780 $ 44,930 $ 51,700


Industry profile for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Agricultural Equipment Operators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Agricultural Equipment Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Crop Production 14,930 4.33 $ 17.79 $ 37,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 6,590 1.22 $ 21.22 $ 44,130
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 1,680 2.39 $ 20.23 $ 42,070
Employment Services 440 0.01 $ 17.10 $ 35,560
Warehousing and Storage 370 0.02 $ 17.37 $ 36,130

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Crop Production 14,930 4.33 $ 17.79 $ 37,000
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 1,680 2.39 $ 20.23 $ 42,070
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 6,590 1.22 $ 21.22 $ 44,130
Support Activities for Animal Production 160 0.50 $ 22.42 $ 46,640
Grain and Oilseed Milling 170 0.27 $ 18.26 $ 37,970

Top paying industries for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 150 0.04 $ 24.23 $ 50,390
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 250 0.03 $ 24.13 $ 50,200
Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers 330 0.17 $ 23.28 $ 48,420
Support Activities for Animal Production 160 0.50 $ 22.42 $ 46,640
Management of Companies and Enterprises 90 (7) $ 22.24 $ 46,260


Geographic profile for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Agricultural Equipment Operators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Agricultural Equipment Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of agricultural equipment operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 6,970 0.40 2.03 $ 18.82 $ 39,140
Iowa 2,370 1.56 7.98 $ 21.48 $ 44,690
Illinois 1,930 0.33 1.68 $ 21.91 $ 45,570
Florida 1,740 0.19 0.97 $ 17.48 $ 36,360
Texas 1,710 0.13 0.67 $ 15.09 $ 31,390


Map of location quotient of agricultural equipment operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Iowa 2,370 1.56 7.98 $ 21.48 $ 44,690
Nebraska 1,260 1.30 6.68 $ 20.48 $ 42,590
North Dakota 460 1.14 5.83 $ 23.01 $ 47,860
Idaho 510 0.64 3.28 $ 18.50 $ 38,480
Kansas 700 0.51 2.61 $ 19.59 $ 40,750


Map of annual mean wages of agricultural equipment operators by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 460 1.14 5.83 $ 23.01 $ 47,860
South Dakota 70 0.16 0.80 $ 22.14 $ 46,060
Michigan 410 0.10 0.50 $ 22.05 $ 45,860
Illinois 1,930 0.33 1.68 $ 21.91 $ 45,570
Maryland 110 0.04 0.21 $ 21.86 $ 45,470



Map of employment of agricultural equipment operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Salinas, CA 950 5.24 26.87 $ 18.13 $ 37,700
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 800 0.31 1.57 $ 17.53 $ 36,460
Fresno, CA 690 1.73 8.86 $ 17.76 $ 36,940
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 600 0.14 0.70 $ 23.45 $ 48,780
Visalia-Porterville, CA 510 3.15 16.15 $ 17.64 $ 36,700
Bakersfield, CA 440 1.34 6.90 $ 17.77 $ 36,970
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 370 1.01 5.16 $ 21.19 $ 44,080
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 340 1.64 8.42 $ 19.03 $ 39,570
Stockton-Lodi, CA 310 1.13 5.82 $ 18.74 $ 38,980
Yuma, AZ 300 4.46 22.87 $ 15.02 $ 31,240


Map of location quotient of agricultural equipment operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Salinas, CA 950 5.24 26.87 $ 18.13 $ 37,700
Yuma, AZ 300 4.46 22.87 $ 15.02 $ 31,240
El Centro, CA 270 4.24 21.75 $ 17.96 $ 37,350
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 160 3.70 19.00 $ 17.34 $ 36,080
Merced, CA 260 3.49 17.88 $ 17.54 $ 36,480
Napa, CA 250 3.41 17.51 $ 22.32 $ 46,420
Visalia-Porterville, CA 510 3.15 16.15 $ 17.64 $ 36,700
Madera, CA 150 3.03 15.56 $ 17.68 $ 36,770
Grand Island, NE 120 2.90 14.89 $ 22.70 $ 47,210
Yakima, WA 270 2.78 14.26 $ 17.89 $ 37,200


Map of annual mean wages of agricultural equipment operators by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 120 0.05 0.26 $ 23.61 $ 49,100
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 600 0.14 0.70 $ 23.45 $ 48,780
Cedar Rapids, IA 70 0.52 2.69 $ 23.37 $ 48,600
Dubuque, IA 70 1.14 5.85 $ 23.31 $ 48,490
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 50 0.65 3.33 $ 23.21 $ 48,270
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 150 0.08 0.42 $ 22.76 $ 47,330
Grand Island, NE 120 2.90 14.89 $ 22.70 $ 47,210
Champaign-Urbana, IL 230 2.26 11.60 $ 22.52 $ 46,840
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 40 0.08 0.39 $ 22.49 $ 46,780
Kansas City, MO-KS 100 0.10 0.49 $ 22.41 $ 46,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 610 4.20 21.55 $ 19.43 $ 40,410
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 580 2.95 15.11 $ 15.14 $ 31,500
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 570 1.49 7.64 $ 19.03 $ 39,590
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 530 2.51 12.89 $ 21.22 $ 44,130
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 520 3.93 20.18 $ 21.39 $ 44,480

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 610 4.20 21.55 $ 19.43 $ 40,410
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 520 3.93 20.18 $ 21.39 $ 44,480
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 260 3.17 16.28 $ 21.57 $ 44,860
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 3.02 15.49 $ 24.35 $ 50,640
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 580 2.95 15.11 $ 15.14 $ 31,500

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Agricultural Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 3.02 15.49 $ 24.35 $ 50,640
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 150 1.40 7.19 $ 22.90 $ 47,620
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 50 0.40 2.06 $ 22.43 $ 46,650
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 30 0.23 1.20 $ 22.40 $ 46,590
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 120 0.38 1.93 $ 22.31 $ 46,410


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023