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How Much Does an Agricultural Equipment Operator Make?

An agricultural equipment operator in the US earns a median salary of $41,730 a year, or $20.06 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $43,710, and the middle half earn between $36,810 and $48,100.

Median a year $41,730
Median an hour $20.06
Median a month $3,478
Average a year $43,710

Agricultural equipment operator pay range

What agricultural equipment operators earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $33,500 $16.11
25th $36,810 $17.70
Median (50th) $41,730 $20.06
75th $48,100 $23.12
90th (top 10%) $58,650 $28.20

The median is 18% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 28,500 people work as agricultural equipment operators in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$803
Every two weeks
$1,605
Twice a month
$1,739
A month
$3,478

At the median salary, before tax.

Agricultural equipment operator salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Montana pays agricultural equipment operators the most, at $54,400 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Montana $54,400 $58,770 130 After tax
New York $51,740 $50,020 – After tax
Delaware $51,150 $49,910 40 After tax
Louisiana $51,050 $58,520 270 After tax
Missouri $50,440 $46,490 900 After tax
North Dakota $50,340 $48,080 430 After tax
Ohio $50,070 $47,220 600 After tax
Minnesota $49,530 $48,520 900 After tax
Iowa $49,480 $47,220 1,530 After tax
Virginia $49,420 $47,890 120 After tax
Nebraska $49,070 $46,670 1,090 After tax
Maine $48,820 $46,490 60 After tax
Kentucky $48,050 $42,000 190 After tax
Indiana $47,980 $46,280 810 After tax
Wisconsin $47,940 $47,100 830 After tax
Massachusetts $47,670 $49,150 40 After tax
South Dakota $47,470 $48,060 240 After tax
Illinois $47,230 $46,050 1,910 After tax
Pennsylvania $46,900 $47,100 390 After tax
Kansas $45,620 $45,570 670 After tax
Oregon $45,070 $44,150 310 After tax
Washington $43,770 $38,470 550 After tax
New Jersey $43,390 $41,660 70 After tax
Maryland $43,180 $39,580 180 After tax
Colorado $42,840 $37,290 – After tax
California $42,730 $38,820 7,940 After tax
Oklahoma $41,970 $34,900 170 After tax
Michigan $41,670 $42,380 460 After tax
Florida $40,900 $36,660 790 After tax
Idaho $39,930 $38,920 490 After tax
North Carolina $39,410 $39,580 550 After tax
Tennessee $38,600 $37,750 390 After tax
Georgia $37,390 $35,410 570 After tax
Arizona $37,160 $36,600 730 After tax
New Mexico $36,450 $35,580 130 After tax
South Carolina $35,760 $34,490 380 After tax
Arkansas $35,530 $32,060 350 After tax
Texas $35,300 $34,260 2,200 After tax
Alabama $34,640 $33,910 370 After tax
Mississippi $34,330 $36,460 280 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other farming, fishing and forestry jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Agricultural Equipment Operators” (SOC 45-2091). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an agricultural equipment operator make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an agricultural equipment operator is $20.06, and the average is $21.02. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $16.11 an hour and the top 10% over $28.20.

How much does an agricultural equipment operator make a month?

At the median salary of $41,730, an agricultural equipment operator earns about $3,478 a month before tax, or $1,605 every two weeks.

Which state pays agricultural equipment operators the most?

Montana has the highest average pay for an agricultural equipment operator, at $54,400 a year. Next are New York and Delaware. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an agricultural equipment operator?

The lowest-paid 10% of agricultural equipment operators earn less than $33,500 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $36,810. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid agricultural equipment operators make?

The top 10% earn more than $58,650 a year, and the top 25% more than $48,100.