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Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians: Career Profile
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.
The Daily Work of Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of farm equipment mechanics and service technicians span:
- Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
- Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
- Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
- Record details of repairs made and parts used.
- Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
- Clean and lubricate parts.
- Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
- Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
What Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Need to Know
Successful farm equipment mechanics and service technicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Agricultural Equipment Mechanic (Ag Equipment Mechanic)
- Agricultural Mechanic (Ag Mechanic)
- Agricultural Service Technician (Ag Service Tech)
- Assembly Repairer
- Combine Mechanic
- Dairy Equipment Installer
- Dairy Equipment Mechanic
- Dairy Equipment Repairer
How Many Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Are There?
There are about 193,580 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +9.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $33,324 |
| Hourly median | $16.02 |
| 10th percentile | $23,582 |
| 25th percentile | $28,453 |
| 75th percentile | $38,196 |
| 90th percentile | $43,067 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $63,990 |
| South Dakota | $62,510 |
| North Dakota | $62,390 |
| Oregon | $62,210 |
| New Jersey | $61,620 |
| Delaware | $61,020 |
| Minnesota | $60,450 |
| Arizona | $60,130 |
| Illinois | $59,650 |
| Washington | $59,150 |
| Wyoming | $58,620 |
| Tennessee | $58,560 |
| Connecticut | $58,390 |
| Idaho | $58,220 |
| Montana | $58,220 |
| Iowa | $58,220 |
| Utah | $57,100 |
| Colorado | $55,900 |
| Louisiana | $54,690 |
| New Hampshire | $54,670 |
| North Carolina | $53,190 |
| New York | $53,050 |
| Vermont | $51,330 |
| Indiana | $51,300 |
| Maryland | $51,120 |
| Nebraska | $51,060 |
| Oklahoma | $50,970 |
| Wisconsin | $50,960 |
| Michigan | $50,920 |
| Maine | $50,910 |
| Missouri | $50,030 |
| Alabama | $49,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,770 |
| California | $49,610 |
| Kansas | $49,450 |
| Kentucky | $49,040 |
| Ohio | $49,030 |
| Georgia | $49,010 |
| Hawaii | $48,710 |
| New Mexico | $48,710 |
| South Carolina | $48,650 |
| Virginia | $48,640 |
| Arkansas | $47,720 |
| Mississippi | $47,470 |
| Texas | $47,430 |
| Florida | $47,330 |
| West Virginia | $35,130 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $57,833 | 4.2% | 2.56 |
| Plains States | $55,176 | 26.0% | 4.83 |
| Great Lakes | $53,114 | 19.7% | 1.58 |
| New England | $53,054 | 1.1% | 0.98 |
| Far Western US | $52,875 | 17.2% | 1.11 |
| Middle Atlantic | $52,755 | 5.6% | 0.56 |
| Southeast | $49,960 | 18.4% | 1.22 |
| Southwest | $49,600 | 7.7% | 0.64 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $77,060 | 160 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $76,040 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $75,500 | 180 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $70,320 | 540 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $70,070 | 70 |
| Albany, OR | OR | $68,650 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $67,010 | 180 |
| Bismarck, ND | ND | $64,690 | 30 |
Which Industries Hire Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
The bulk of farm equipment mechanics and service technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 27,390 | $55,600 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3,190 | $45,900 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,620 | $52,460 |
| Retail Trade | 1,460 | $50,610 |
| Manufacturing | 1,430 | $55,780 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 310 | $62,110 |
| Educational Services | 250 | $75,680 |
| Construction | 140 | $49,090 |
Below are examples of industries where farm equipment mechanics and service technicians work:
Software Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Most farm equipment mechanics and service technicians positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Boilermakers (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Supplemental)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Primary-Short)
- Rail Car Repairers (Supplemental)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-3041.00 (Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians).
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