Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

How to become a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician

Official title: Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

Also called: Agricultural Mechanic (Ag Mechanic), Agricultural Service Technician (Ag Service Tech), Dairy Service Technician (Dairy Service Tech), Farm Equipment Mechanic, Farm Equipment Service Technician (Farm Equipment Service Tech), Field Mechanic, Field Technician (Field Tech), Mechanic, Service Technician (Service Tech), Tractor Mechanic

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.

Main tasks

Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
Record details of repairs made and parts used.
Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
Clean and lubricate parts.
Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.

How to become one

Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. Because vehicle and equipment technology is increasingly sophisticated and computerized, some employers prefer to hire service technicians who have completed a training program at a postsecondary institution.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Dairy Equipment Repairer.
Apprenticeship: Farm Equipment Mechanic and Technician.
Apprenticeship: Farm Equipment Mechanic Ii.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $56,550 a year The middle half earn $46,450 to $65,580.
About 41,900 people work in this job now, and about 46,400 are projected by 2035. (+10.7%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician?

How much does a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $56,550 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $46,450 to $65,580.

Is a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 41,900 to about 46,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Dairy Equipment Repairer.

Will AI change the work of a Farm Equipment Mechanic or Service Technician?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.