Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.
What it pays
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians earn a median of $27.19/hr — about $56,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.01/hr; the top 10% earn $37.86/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians earn a median of $27.19/hr — about $56,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.01/hr; the top 10% earn $37.86/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
- Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
- Record details of repairs made and parts used.
- Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
- Clean and lubricate parts.
- Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 3.4% of farm equipment mechanics and service technicians are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Millwrights
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
Quick questions
- How much does a farm equipment mechanics and service technician make?
- The median pay is $27.19 per hour — roughly $56,500 a year, with the real range running from about $18.01/hr (10th percentile) to $37.86/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a farm equipment mechanics and service technician?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a farm equipment mechanics and service technician actually do all day?
- Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems. Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools. Record details of repairs made and parts used.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.