Agricultural Equipment Operators

Also Called: Equipment Operator, Farm Equipment Operator, Loader Operator, Rake Operator

No High School Diploma/GED

usually needed

Not Available
(Students Only)
Match Percentage

$30,050

Entry Salary

Bright

Job outlook

What Agricultural Equipment Operators do

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.

  • Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
  • Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
  • Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
Industry Areas:

Automotive & Machine Repair • Renewable Resources and Energy

Training Program Areas:

Landscaping • Landscaping (HBI) • OCT-Only Automotive & Machine Repair • OCT-Only Renewable Resources & Energy • Petroleum Technician • Stationary Engineering • Urban Forestry

Expand For Additional Details

Work Context

  • Duration of Typical Work Week
  • Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
  • Face-to-Face Discussions
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment
  • Very Hot or Cold Temperatures

Tools

  • Haymaking machinery
  • Fertilizer spreaders or distributors
  • Container trailers
  • Sprayers
  • Harvesters

Technology

Data base user interface and query software
Martens Farms Farm Trac
Microsoft Access
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel

The Education & Training You Need

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Troubleshooting
  • Active Listening
  • Equipment Maintenance

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities
English language
Engineering and Technology
mechanical

Education

  • 57% Less than high school diploma
  • 19% High school diploma or equivalent
  • 14% Post-secondary certificate

Experience

Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.

What are some related occupations at different educational levels?


Job Training Match

Agricultural Equipment Operators Currently Selected

Educational Level

High School Diploma or Equivalent

 Job Training Match

Electrical & Electronics Repairers, Commercial & Industrial Equipment

Educational Level

Post-secondary, non-degree

 Job Training Match

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades & Extraction Workers

Educational Level

Associate's Degree

 Job Training Match

Biological Technicians

Educational Level

Bachelor's Degree

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Educational Level

Advanced Degree

What are your training options on the pathway to this occupation?

Advanced Training

There are currently no advanced training opportunities for this career.

ACT & College

  • Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

    Tifton, GA

  • Crowder College

    Neosho, MO

Apprenticeships

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Are You a Good Fit?

Occupation Traits

    • Realistic (Doer)

Work Styles

  • Dependability
  • Persistence
  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Independence
  • Initiative

Values

  • Support
  • Independence
  • Achievement

Abilities

  • Controlled Movement
  • Hand and Finger Use

This is what Agricultural Equipment Operators across the country typically make.

$14.45 / hour
$30,050 /year

Entry Level

$19.08 / hour
$39,690 /year

Median Level

$26.23 / hour
$54,550 /year

Experienced Level

Income information reflects a regional average.
Income information reflects a national average.

This career’s National Job Outlook is

Bright

Please be sure to verify the outlook of this occupation with your instructor.

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