Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

45-2091 Agricultural Equipment Operators

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. 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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
22,680 4.3 % $12.90 $26,830 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.43 $9.50 $12.13 $15.26 $18.39
Annual Wage (2) $17,530 $19,760 $25,220 $31,730 $38,240


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Crop Production 12,650 4.28 $11.87 $24,700
Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 4,100 1.24 $14.88 $30,950
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 1,840 2.44 $14.42 $29,990
Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Stores 520 0.38 $12.20 $25,370
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 260 0.01 $15.82 $32,900

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Crop Production 12,650 4.28 $11.87 $24,700
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 1,840 2.44 $14.42 $29,990
Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 4,100 1.24 $14.88 $30,950
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing 140 0.40 $15.49 $32,210
Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Stores 520 0.38 $12.20 $25,370

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 210 0.03 $16.80 $34,950
State Government (OES Designation) 40 (7) $16.57 $34,460
Services to Buildings and Dwellings (8) (8) $16.54 $34,410
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 260 0.01 $15.82 $32,900
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing 140 0.40 $15.49 $32,210


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,470 0.32 1.80 $11.51 $23,940
Texas 2,830 0.27 1.56 $11.13 $23,160
Iowa 1,960 1.35 7.66 $15.01 $31,220
Arkansas 1,070 0.94 5.31 $10.93 $22,730
Kansas 1,050 0.80 4.53 $15.40 $32,030




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Iowa 1,960 1.35 7.66 $15.01 $31,220
North Dakota 360 0.96 5.42 $14.69 $30,550
Arkansas 1,070 0.94 5.31 $10.93 $22,730
Nebraska 790 0.88 4.96 $15.85 $32,970
Kansas 1,050 0.80 4.53 $15.40 $32,030




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts (8) (8) (8) $18.29 $38,040
Ohio 210 0.04 0.24 $16.99 $35,340
Hawaii 80 0.14 0.81 $16.44 $34,190
Delaware 40 0.10 0.55 $16.16 $33,620
Illinois 760 0.14 0.77 $16.04 $33,370





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 450 1.74 9.86 $11.49 $23,900
Madera-Chowchilla, CA 290 8.03 45.42 $10.52 $21,880
Salinas, CA 290 1.91 10.79 $15.09 $31,380
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 290 2.91 16.46 $12.76 $26,540
Lubbock, TX 270 2.21 12.50 $9.23 $19,210
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 270 0.33 1.88 $12.85 $26,740
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 260 1.15 6.50 $11.35 $23,620
Kansas City, MO-KS 200 0.20 1.15 $15.72 $32,700
Yakima, WA 180 2.30 13.04 $12.52 $26,050
Napa, CA 150 2.43 13.73 $14.51 $30,180




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Madera-Chowchilla, CA 290 8.03 45.42 $10.52 $21,880
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 290 2.91 16.46 $12.76 $26,540
El Centro, CA 140 2.73 15.45 $9.89 $20,560
Napa, CA 150 2.43 13.73 $14.51 $30,180
Yakima, WA 180 2.30 13.04 $12.52 $26,050
Lubbock, TX 270 2.21 12.50 $9.23 $19,210
Yuma, AZ 120 2.16 12.23 $10.01 $20,820
Salinas, CA 290 1.91 10.79 $15.09 $31,380
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 450 1.74 9.86 $11.49 $23,900
Jonesboro, AR 60 1.36 7.71 $13.24 $27,540




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division (8) (8) (8) $22.02 $45,790
St. Joseph, MO-KS 30 0.64 3.64 $19.65 $40,870
Bloomington-Normal, IL 30 0.40 2.27 $19.24 $40,020
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 30 0.02 0.11 $19.11 $39,750
Boise City-Nampa, ID (8) (8) (8) $17.47 $36,350
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 80 0.08 0.48 $16.76 $34,860
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 110 0.65 3.68 $16.39 $34,090
Evansville, IN-KY 40 0.22 1.22 $16.09 $33,460
Madison, WI 110 0.33 1.85 $15.88 $33,020
St. Louis, MO-IL 30 0.03 0.15 $15.82 $32,910

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,060 4.29 24.28 $11.49 $23,890
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 730 1.90 10.77 $15.45 $32,130
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 510 2.33 13.20 $16.13 $33,550
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 460 1.57 8.90 $11.67 $24,270
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 460 4.49 25.41 $10.41 $21,660

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 260 5.53 31.29 $16.44 $34,190
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 460 4.49 25.41 $10.41 $21,660
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,060 4.29 24.28 $11.49 $23,890
Far Eastern North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 100 3.98 22.49 $14.60 $30,360
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 350 3.54 20.01 $14.48 $30,110

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 80 0.37 2.09 $22.08 $45,930
North Missouri nonmetropolitan area 90 1.08 6.12 $17.23 $35,850
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.84 4.78 $17.08 $35,520
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $16.73 $34,800
Central Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 170 1.70 9.59 $16.61 $34,540


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012