Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Agricultural Equipment Operators

45-2091

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.

Median annual wage

$41,730

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Projected change

8.6%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Annual openings

10.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

National employment

28,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$41,730

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Mean annual wage

$43,710

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Hourly median wage

$20.06

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Hourly mean wage

$21.02

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

10th percentile annual wage

$33,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

25th percentile annual wage

$36,810

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

75th percentile annual wage

$48,100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

90th percentile annual wage

$58,650

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

National employment

28,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2091

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

8.6%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Average annual openings

10.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

No formal educational credential

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2091

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

3.7 raw · CX scale
67% relative

Relative scale: 67% · raw 3.68 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Time pressure

3.4 raw · CX scale
60% relative

Relative scale: 60% · raw 3.4 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Spend time standing

2.9 raw · CX scale
49% relative

Relative scale: 49% · raw 2.94 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Exposed to contaminants

3.7 raw · CX scale
66% relative

Relative scale: 66% · raw 3.65 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.2 raw · CX scale
4% relative

Relative scale: 4% · raw 1.16 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

2.4 raw · CX scale
35% relative

Relative scale: 35% · raw 2.41 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Active listening

2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Relative scale: 41% · raw 2.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Critical thinking

2.8 raw · LV scale
39% relative

Relative scale: 39% · raw 2.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Speaking

2.6 raw · LV scale
37% relative

Relative scale: 37% · raw 2.62 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Monitoring

2.3 raw · LV scale
32% relative

Relative scale: 32% · raw 2.25 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Active learning

1.9 raw · LV scale
27% relative

Relative scale: 27% · raw 1.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Reading comprehension

1.9 raw · LV scale
27% relative

Relative scale: 27% · raw 1.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Writing

1.8 raw · LV scale
25% relative

Relative scale: 25% · raw 1.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Mathematics

1.1 raw · LV scale
16% relative

Relative scale: 16% · raw 1.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Dependability

2.3 raw · WI scale
89% relative

Relative scale: 89% · raw 2.33 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Attention to detail

1.8 raw · WI scale
79% relative

Relative scale: 79% · raw 1.76 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Stress tolerance

1.2 raw · WI scale
71% relative

Relative scale: 71% · raw 1.24 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

Cooperation

0.5 raw · WI scale
58% relative

Relative scale: 58% · raw 0.45 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 45-2091.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 45-2091 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 45-2091 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 45-2091.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Agricultural Equipment Operators vs Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

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Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

45-2041

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

Median pay

$35,730

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2041

Growth

-3.4%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2041

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Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

45-2092

Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Median pay

$35,660

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2092

Growth

-2.4%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2092

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45-2093

Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, milking, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.

Median pay

$36,670

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2093

Growth

-3.2%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2093

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Animal Breeders

45-2021

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.

Median pay

$51,130

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 45-2021

Growth

3%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 45-2021

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.