Agricultural Equipment Operators
SOC Code: 45-2091 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Agricultural Equipment Operators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $45,635 | $52,270 | $58,885 | $65,520 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $41,434 | $49,234 | $57,054 | $64,854 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $40,165 | $47,798 | $55,432 | $63,066 |
| Lima, OH | $40,602 | $47,923 | $55,245 | $62,566 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $39,042 | $46,883 | $54,725 | $62,566 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $40,310 | $47,674 | $55,058 | $62,421 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $44,366 | $50,294 | $56,222 | $62,150 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $43,992 | $50,024 | $56,056 | $62,088 |
| Springfield, OH | $41,600 | $48,298 | $54,974 | $61,672 |
| West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $39,957 | $47,174 | $54,413 | $61,630 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 | |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 | |
| Repairing | 3.0 | |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.0 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 | |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| English Language | 3.4 |
| Mechanical | 2.9 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.8 |
| Transportation | 2.7 |
| Production and Processing | 2.7 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.6 |
| Chemistry | 2.6 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school | 56.8% |
| High school diploma | 19.1% |
| Some college | 14.4% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 9.5% |
Typical Tasks
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
- Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
- Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint Farm Management Software Hay and Crop Manager Martens Farms Farm Site Mate Martens Farms Farm Trac
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