Agricultural Equipment Operators
Agricultural Equipment Operators is a dynamic career path with diverse opportunities. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 10.1% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Agricultural Equipment Operators workforce.
Employment Over Time
8,480 Workforce in 2023
The Agricultural Equipment Operators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$44,676 Average Wage
In 2023, Agricultural Equipment Operators earned an average of $44,676.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Salary distribution for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Employment Growth Projections
1.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
34,085 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 7.7%
36,695 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 15.9%
This occupation is projected to grow at 1.5% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Agricultural Equipment Operators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Agricultural Equipment Operators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Wage Trends by Industry
9.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 7,100 employees, $43,305 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 900 employees, $38,479 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 760 employees, $41,310 avg wage
- Salinas MSA: 730 employees, $44,192 avg wage
- Visalia MSA: 650 employees, $40,465 avg wage
- Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 600 employees, $40,774 avg wage
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 480 employees, $44,037 avg wage
- Napa MSA: 420 employees, $52,015 avg wage
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA: 330 employees, $47,280 avg wage
- Merced MSA: 290 employees, $41,289 avg wage
- Stockton-Lodi MSA: 290 employees, $44,017 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Agricultural Equipment Operators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Agricultural Equipment Operators in 2023 was 8,480 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Agricultural Equipment Operators in 2023 were Business, Social Sciences, General Studies.
Common majors for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Agricultural Equipment Operators workers.
Education level distribution for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Skills
Agricultural Equipment Operators need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Troubleshooting, Quality Control Analysis, Repairing.
Required skills for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Agricultural Equipment Operators include English Language, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics, Transportation.
Knowledge areas required for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Agricultural Equipment Operators include Control Precision, Multilimb Coordination, Near Vision, Far Vision, Depth Perception.
Required abilities for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Agricultural Equipment Operators.
Daily Activities
Agricultural Equipment Operators spend their time on activities such as Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Controlling Machines and Processes, Handling and Moving Objects.
Most important work activities for Agricultural Equipment Operators.
About
Agricultural Equipment Operators
The average yearly wage for Agricultural Equipment Operators was $44,676 in 2023.
SOC Code
45-2091 - Agricultural Equipment Operators
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Agricultural Equipment Operators reports an average salary of $44,676.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 8,480 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 1.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.