Life As a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician
Job Description & Duties Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.
List of Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician Job Duties
- Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
- Tune or overhaul engines.
- Drive trucks to haul tools and equipment for on-site repair of large machinery.
- Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
- Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
- Calculate bills according to record of repairs made, labor time, and parts used.
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Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians say are important on the job.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Dairy Equipment Repairer
- Shop Foreman
- Milking System Installer
- Layout Worker
- Sprinkler Irrigation Equipment Mechanic
Are There Job Opportunities for Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians?
There were about 42,500 jobs for Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,200 new jobs for Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 4,500 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician are Utah, Nevada, and Georgia. Watch out if you plan on working in West Virginia, Maine, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician
The average yearly salary of a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician ranges between $26,790 and $60,590.
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians who work in Wyoming, North Dakota, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
How much do Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $46,350 |
Arizona | $50,110 |
Arkansas | $39,510 |
California | $47,310 |
Colorado | $44,980 |
Connecticut | $54,710 |
Delaware | $37,800 |
Florida | $39,940 |
Georgia | $36,580 |
Idaho | $42,660 |
Illinois | $45,270 |
Indiana | $41,540 |
Iowa | $44,130 |
Kansas | $41,080 |
Kentucky | $35,690 |
Louisiana | $42,160 |
Maine | $36,570 |
Maryland | $40,510 |
Massachusetts | $37,110 |
Michigan | $38,820 |
Minnesota | $44,470 |
Mississippi | $36,420 |
Missouri | $37,790 |
Montana | $43,350 |
Nebraska | $42,400 |
Nevada | $45,850 |
New Hampshire | $38,190 |
New Jersey | $43,000 |
New Mexico | $44,610 |
New York | $41,150 |
North Carolina | $37,230 |
North Dakota | $49,000 |
Ohio | $39,790 |
Oklahoma | $43,760 |
Oregon | $44,420 |
Pennsylvania | $38,590 |
South Carolina | $40,480 |
South Dakota | $41,840 |
Tennessee | $38,030 |
Texas | $43,880 |
Utah | $43,720 |
Vermont | $37,660 |
Virginia | $38,400 |
Washington | $43,090 |
West Virginia | $27,590 |
Wisconsin | $44,250 |
Wyoming | $47,510 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Web browser software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- ServiceMax
Becoming a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician
Education needed to be a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Are Employed
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians work in the following industries:
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers
Those who work as a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Alandmanson via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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