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.
- O*NET-SOC code
45-2091.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$41,730
Employment, U.S.28,500
Median hourly wage$20.06
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $33,500 | $36,810 | $41,730 | $48,100 | $58,650 |
By state (40)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 370 | $33,910 | 0.96 |
| Arizona | 730 | $36,600 | 1.22 |
| Arkansas | 350 | $32,060 | 1.48 |
| California | 7,940 | $38,820 | 2.38 |
| Colorado | $37,290 | ||
| Delaware | 40 | $49,910 | 0.45 |
| Florida | 790 | $36,660 | 0.43 |
| Georgia | 570 | $35,410 | 0.64 |
| Idaho | 490 | $38,920 | 3.14 |
| Illinois | 1,910 | $46,050 | 1.71 |
| Indiana | 810 | $46,280 | 1.39 |
| Iowa | 1,530 | $47,220 | 5.37 |
| Kansas | 670 | $45,570 | 2.55 |
| Kentucky | 190 | $42,000 | 0.52 |
| Louisiana | 270 | $58,520 | 0.76 |
| Maine | 60 | $46,490 | 0.47 |
| Maryland | 180 | $39,580 | 0.37 |
| Massachusetts | 40 | $49,150 | 0.06 |
| Michigan | 460 | $42,380 | 0.57 |
| Minnesota | 900 | $48,520 | 1.67 |
| Mississippi | 280 | $36,460 | 1.31 |
| Missouri | 900 | $46,490 | 1.67 |
| Montana | 130 | $58,770 | 1.42 |
| Nebraska | 1,090 | $46,670 | 5.83 |
| New Jersey | 70 | $41,660 | 0.09 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $35,580 | 0.84 |
| New York | $50,020 | ||
| North Carolina | 550 | $39,580 | 0.61 |
| North Dakota | 430 | $48,080 | 5.47 |
| Ohio | 600 | $47,220 | 0.59 |
| Oklahoma | 170 | $34,900 | 0.56 |
| Oregon | 310 | $44,150 | 0.87 |
| Pennsylvania | 390 | $47,100 | 0.35 |
| South Carolina | 380 | $34,490 | 0.90 |
| South Dakota | 240 | $48,060 | 2.86 |
| Tennessee | 390 | $37,750 | 0.65 |
| Texas | 2,200 | $34,260 | 0.85 |
| Virginia | 120 | $47,890 | 0.16 |
| Washington | 550 | $38,470 | 0.84 |
| Wisconsin | 830 | $47,100 | 1.53 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 1-2 | 0.961 |
| 2 | Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 1-2 | 0.958 |
| 3 | Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 4 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | 1-2 | 0.955 |
| 5 | Crane and Tower Operators | 3 | 0.955 |
| 6 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | 1-2 | 0.952 |
| 7 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | 1-2 | 0.950 |
| 8 | Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 1-2 | 0.949 |
| 9 | Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | 1-2 | 0.945 |
| 10 | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | 1-2 | 0.944 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Agricultural Equipment Operators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | Time Management | 0.76 | 0.961 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | Monitoring | 0.87 | 0.955 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | Monitoring | 0.87 | 0.952 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operators | Judgment and Decision Making | 0.88 | 0.949 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.941 |
| Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | Time Management | 0.76 | 0.940 |
| Tree Trimmers and Pruners | Instructing | 1.00 | 0.939 |
| Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Monitoring | 1.00 | 0.937 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | Monitoring | 0.87 | 0.936 |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Monitoring | 1.13 | 0.934 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Agricultural Equipment Operators, excluding software Agricultural Equipment Operators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows | 6 of 20 | 1.1x |
| SAP software | 5 of 20 | 0.8x |
| Email software | 3 of 20 | 0.5x |
| Microsoft Outlook | 10 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Web browser software | 3 of 20 | 0.3x |
| Microsoft Word | 12 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Microsoft Office software | 12 of 20 | 0.7x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 1.62 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 3.38 | 2.87 |
| Mechanical | 2.86 | 2.83 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.79 | 2.58 |
| Mathematics | 2.76 | 2.46 |
| Transportation | 2.72 | 2.50 |
| Production and Processing | 2.69 | not rated |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.64 | 2.24 |
| Chemistry | 2.61 | 2.83 |
| Law and Government | 2.57 | 2.19 |
| Design | 2.37 | 1.87 |
| Education and Training | 2.34 | 2.20 |
| Physics | 2.33 | 2.17 |
| Building and Construction | 2.19 | not rated |
| Administrative | 2.18 | not rated |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.17 | 1.86 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.15 | 1.78 |
| Administration and Management | 2.13 | 1.62 |
| Biology | 2.11 | 1.55 |
| Telecommunications | 2.09 | 1.87 |
| Geography | 2.02 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.99 | 1.84 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.99 | 0.95 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.95 | 1.07 |
| History and Archeology | 1.89 | 1.15 |
| Psychology | 1.78 | 1.18 |
| Food Production | 1.77 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.75 | 1.16 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.65 | 0.94 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.64 | 0.91 |
| Foreign Language | 1.49 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.45 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.37 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.24 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Control Precision | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Near Vision | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Depth Perception | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Far Vision | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.50 |
| Reaction Time | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Response Orientation | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Rate Control | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.25 | 2.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Oral Expression | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Selective Attention | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Visualization | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 2.25 | 2.50 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Sound Localization | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Originality | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Written Expression | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Night Vision | 1.75 | 1.38 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Number Facility | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.38 | 0.38 |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Farm Management Software Hay and Crop Manager
- Martens Farms Farm Site Mate
- Martens Farms Farm Trac
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | 590 | 41.06 | $47,880 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 210 | 23.72 | $37,420 |
| El Centro, CA | 260 | 21.84 | $37,200 |
| Visalia, CA | 650 | 20.86 | $36,130 |
| Salinas, CA | 680 | 19.90 | $38,740 |
| Merced, CA | 200 | 14.06 | $37,570 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 460 | 12.57 | $41,910 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 700 | 11.30 | $36,930 |
| Yuba City, CA | 100 | 10.39 | $37,890 |
| Fresno, CA | 910 | 10.36 | $36,650 |