Farm Equipment Mechanics
Overview
Introduction
Farm equipment mechanics maintain, adjust, repair, and overhaul equipment and vehicles used in planting, cultivating, harvesting, moving, processing, and storing plant and animal farm products. Among the specialized machines with which they work are tractors, harvesters, combines, pumps, tilling equipment, silo fillers, hay balers, and sprinkler irrigation systems. They work for farm equipment repair shops, farm equipment dealerships, and on large farms that have their own shops. Approximately 45,400 farm equipment mechanics work in...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Farm equipment mechanics had median hourly earnings of $19.54 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This figure translates into a yearly income of approximately $40,630. The lowest paid 10 percent of farm equipment mechanics earned less than $12.88 per hour ($26,790 per year), while the highest paid 10 percent earned $29.13 or more per hour ($60,590 or more per year). Exact ea...
Work Environment
Farm equipment mechanics generally work indoors on equipment that has been brought into the shop. Most modern shops are properly ventilated, heated, and lighted. Some older shops may be less comfortable. During harvest seasons, mechanics may have to leave the shop frequently and travel many miles to farms, where they perform emergency repairs outdoors in any kind of weather. They may often work...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor reports that employment of farm equipment mechanics will grow about as fast as the average for all careers through 2028. Although modern farm equipment has become more efficient and dependable, the increasing complexity of machinery, the growing population (which requires more food), and the increasing use of farm equipment to make biofuels will create good opportun...