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Agricultural Equipment Operator Salary in U.S.

The salary statistics of agricultural equipment operators are shown in Table 1. In the next few tables we compare the average salaries of agricultural equipment operators within different industry sectors and in the 50 states of the United States. The agricultural equipment operators annual salary statistics are from the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].

Table 1. Agricultural Equipment Operator Salary in U.S. (2022 survey)

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$28,370
25th Percentile Wage
$33,540
50th Percentile Wage
$37,780
75th Percentile Wage
$44,930
90th Percentile Wage
$51,700

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for agricultural equipment operators. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) agricultural equipment operators is $51,700. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $37,780. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $28,370. Take note that in the United States, the annual salary of the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is almost 82% higher than that of the bottom 10 percent.

Median salary trend (2012 to 2022)

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of agricultural equipment operators from 2012 to 2022.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth10-Year Growth
2022
$37,780
3.76% 31.55%
2021
$36,360
9.93% -
2020
$32,750
2.44% -
2019
$31,950
2.38% -
2018
$31,190
3.46% -
2017
$30,110
4.18% -
2016
$28,850
3.50% -
2015
$27,840
3.34% -
2014
$26,910
2.75% -
2013
$26,170
1.18% -
2012
$25,860
- -

Table 2. Agricultural Equipment Operator Salary by Industry Sector (2022 survey)

The average salaries of agricultural equipment operators in 15 major industry sectors are shown in Table 2. We note that the salaries vary considerably within different industry sectors. The highest paying industry sector for agricultural equipment operators occupations is the construction sector with an annual salary $46,140. The lowest paying sector is the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector (annual salary $28,600).

Industry Sector Median Annual Salary
Construction
$46,140
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$44,900
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
$44,620
Wholesale Trade
$42,570
Educational Services
$41,830
Manufacturing
$41,480
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$41,220
Retail Trade
$41,210
Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)
$37,430
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$37,000
Transportation and Warehousing
$36,730
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
$35,400
Federal, State, and Local Government
$32,940
Health Care and Social Assistance
$29,670
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
$28,600

Table 3. Median Annual Wage of Agricultural Equipment Operators by States (2022 survey)

From the above tables we note that not only agricultural equipment operators salaries vary considerably based on one's education and experience, and the industry sectors, they also change considerably from state to state. In the following table we compare the median salary of agricultural equipment operators in all 50 states of the United States. We note that the median annual salaries range from $19,760 to $50,570. The highest paying state for agricultural equipment operators is South Dakota with a median annual salary of $50,570. The lowest paying state is Puerto Rico with a median annual salary of $19,760. For more salary information of agricultural equipment operators profession in a specific state, use the links in the table.

State Name Median Annual Salary
South Dakota
$50,570
New Jersey
$47,810
Maryland
$47,360
Connecticut
$46,420
North Dakota
$45,460
Iowa
$44,420
Ohio
$43,680
Kentucky
$43,630
Illinois
$43,400
Indiana
$43,130
Minnesota
$42,660
Delaware
$42,070
Michigan
$41,890
Montana
$41,780
Nebraska
$39,890
Hawaii
$39,850
Virginia
$39,830
Wisconsin
$39,500
Missouri
$39,060
Colorado
$38,240
North Carolina
$37,840
Washington
$37,830
Massachusetts
$37,720
Kansas
$37,480
New York
$37,280
Tennessee
$37,220
Wyoming
$37,140
California
$37,030
Vermont
$36,820
Oregon
$36,210
Pennsylvania
$35,890
Idaho
$35,430
Florida
$34,270
Oklahoma
$33,610
Utah
$33,280
Georgia
$32,900
South Carolina
$32,740
New Mexico
$31,930
Alabama
$30,850
Louisiana
$30,760
Arizona
$30,650
Texas
$29,930
Arkansas
$27,320
Nevada
$26,350
Mississippi
$26,190
Puerto Rico
$19,760