Career profile for Farm Equipment Mechanic

What does a Farm Equipment Mechanic do?

Farm Equipment Mechanics diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.

What kind of tasks does a Farm Equipment Mechanic perform regularly?

Farm Equipment Mechanics are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
Record details of repairs made and parts used.
Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
Clean and lubricate parts.
Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
Tune or overhaul engines.
Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
Drive trucks to haul tools and equipment for on-site repair of large machinery.
Fabricate new metal parts, using drill presses, engine lathes, and other machine tools.
Repair bent or torn sheet metal.

The above responsibilities are specific to Farm Equipment Mechanics. More generally, Farm Equipment Mechanics are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment		Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment		Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events		Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

What is a Farm Equipment Mechanic salary?

The median salary for a Farm Equipment Mechanic is $43,880, and the average salary is $45,350. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Farm Equipment Mechanic salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Farm Equipment Mechanics earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Farm Equipment Mechanics earn less than $28,670 per year, 25% earn less than $35,000, 75% earn less than $54,050, and 90% earn less than $64,220.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Farm Equipment Mechanics is expected to change by 11.1%, and there should be roughly 5,400 open positions for Farm Equipment Mechanics every year.

Median annual salary: $43,880
Typical salary range: $28,670 - $64,220
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 11.1%

What personality traits are common among Farm Equipment Mechanics?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Farm Equipment Mechanic are usually higher in their Realistic, Conventional, and Investigative interests.

Farm Equipment Mechanics typically have very strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Also, Farm Equipment Mechanics typically have strong Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Lastly, Farm Equipment Mechanics typically have moderate Investigative interests. Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Farm Equipment Mechanic tend to value Support, Independence, and Achievement.

Most importantly, Farm Equipment Mechanics strongly value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Second, Farm Equipment Mechanics moderately value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Lastly, Farm Equipment Mechanics moderately value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Farm Equipment Mechanics must consistently demonstrate qualities such as dependability, attention to detail, and self-control.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Farm Equipment Mechanics, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Self-Control		Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence		Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Self-Control

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

What education and training do Farm Equipment Mechanics need?

Farm Equipment Mechanics often have training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Farm Equipment Mechanics usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Farm Equipment Mechanics

12.0% did not complete high school or secondary school
47.3% completed high school or secondary school
23.4% completed some college coursework
13.1% earned a Associate's degree
3.3% earned a Bachelor's degree
0.6% earned a Master's degree
0.2% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Farm Equipment Mechanics

Farm Equipment Mechanics may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as mechanical, customer and personal service, or computers and electronics knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Farm Equipment Mechanics might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training		Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Education and Training

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Important Abilities needed by Farm Equipment Mechanics

Farm Equipment Mechanics must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Farm Equipment Mechanics need abilities such as manual dexterity, control precision, and multilimb coordination in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Farm Equipment Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Manual Dexterity		The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Control Precision		The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Multilimb Coordination		The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Finger Dexterity		The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Arm-Hand Steadiness		The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Multilimb Coordination

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Critical Skills needed by Farm Equipment Mechanics

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Farm Equipment Mechanics frequently use skills like equipment maintenance, repairing, and troubleshooting to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Farm Equipment Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Equipment Maintenance		Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing		Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting		Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Operation and Control		Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Repairing

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Farm Equipment Mechanic

Farm Equipment Mechanic

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