Agricultural Equipment Operators in Virginia
Want to work as an Agricultural Equipment Operators in Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. 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.
What do Agricultural Equipment Operators Make in Virginia?
For agricultural equipment operators working in Virginia, wages run about $45,740 per year (or about $21.99/hour).Pay can range from $37,070 at the 10th percentile to $57,650 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,070 | $17.82 |
| 25th percentile | $40,230 | $19.34 |
| Median (50th) | $45,740 | $21.99 |
| 75th percentile | $51,210 | $24.62 |
| 90th percentile | $57,650 | $27.71 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Virginia relative to the national average — is 0.25, meaning fewer agricultural equipment operators per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, agricultural equipment operators earn a median of $25,669 per year ($12.34/hour), higher than the Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 143,965 agricultural equipment operators nationwide. In Virginia alone, approximately 200 people work in this role. That’s fewer than the typical state, which employs around 400 agricultural equipment operators.
Top States for Agricultural Equipment Operators Employment
These states have the highest employment of agricultural equipment operators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 8,480 |
| Illinois | 2,310 |
| Iowa | 1,710 |
| Texas | 1,480 |
| Missouri | 1,080 |
| Nebraska | 1,070 |
| Arizona | 1,020 |
| Ohio | 970 |
| Florida | 920 |
| Georgia | 890 |
| Kansas | 890 |
| Washington | 860 |
| Indiana | 830 |
| Minnesota | 780 |
| Michigan | 670 |
| Wisconsin | 670 |
| Arkansas | 670 |
| North Carolina | 570 |
| Tennessee | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | 450 |
Highest-Paying States for Agricultural Equipment Operators
The highest-paying states for agricultural equipment operators.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Montana | $53,900 |
| New York | $51,100 |
| Delaware | $50,450 |
| Ohio | $49,070 |
| Indiana | $48,930 |
| Iowa | $48,690 |
| Minnesota | $48,390 |
| North Dakota | $47,640 |
| Wisconsin | $47,520 |
| Maine | $47,500 |
Skills
The most important agricultural equipment operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for agricultural equipment operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Agricultural Equipment Operators typically:
- 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.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
- Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
- Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
- Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.
- Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information.
Work Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Processing Information
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Access
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Agricultural Mechanization
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Related Careers
Careers similar to agricultural equipment operators include:
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Also Known As
Agricultural Equipment Operator (Ag Equipment Operator), Agricultural Equipment Operators, Agricultural Farm Equipment Operator, Agricultural Plow Operator, Agriculture Equipment Operator, Baler, Baler Operator, Bean Picker Machine Operator, Berry Picker Machine Operator, Broomcorn Thresher, Cane Cutter Machine Operator, Cane Flume Chute Operator, Cane Flume Feeding Machine Operator, Cane Piler, Chopper Operator.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 45-2091.00
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