Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a agricultural equipment operators in Indiana is $46,280/year ($22.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $50,408 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Indiana?
About agricultural equipment operators
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What this looks like in Indiana
Indiana sits well above the national pay line for agricultural equipment operators, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level agricultural equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Equipment Operators salary by metro in Indiana
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $52K | +13% | 30 |
| Terre Haute | $48K | +4% | 40 |
| Evansville | $48K | +3% | 40 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | +1% | 140 |
| Fort Wayne | $45K | -2% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track agricultural equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agricultural equipment operators in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural equipment operators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,346/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agricultural equipment operator a high-paying job in Indiana?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $46K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for agricultural equipment operators?
Indiana pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do agricultural equipment operators make in Indiana?
The median is $46,280 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,100, and experienced agricultural equipment operators can clear $57,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,151/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 36.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a agricultural equipment operators salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median agricultural equipment operators salary is worth about $50,408 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agricultural equipment operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.