Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.
What it pays
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines earn a median of $31.50/hr — about $65,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.51/hr; the top 10% earn $45.41/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines earn a median of $31.50/hr — about $65,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.51/hr; the top 10% earn $45.41/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
- Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
- Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
- Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
- Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
- Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
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. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 3.2% of mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.
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Quick questions
- How much does a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engine make?
- The median pay is $31.50 per hour — roughly $65,500 a year, with the real range running from about $22.51/hr (10th percentile) to $45.41/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engine?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engine actually do all day?
- Repair and replace damaged or worn parts. Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications. Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
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.