Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a agricultural equipment operators in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN is $52,100/year ($25.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.43), which stretches that salary to about $55,764 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,242/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.43). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About agricultural equipment operators
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What this looks like in Lafayette-West Lafayette
Lafayette-West Lafayette sits well above the national pay line for agricultural equipment operators, local pay runs about 25% 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 $1,242/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.43 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for agricultural equipment operators in metros near Lafayette-West Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | $49K |
| Fort Wayne | $45K | $49K |
| Evansville | $48K | $52K |
| Terre Haute | $48K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level agricultural equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Equipment Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Agricultural Equipment Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $59K | +41% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $59K | +40% | 270 |
| New York | $50K | +20% | N/A |
| Delaware | $50K | +20% | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +18% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +16% | 900 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +15% | 430 |
| South Dakota | $48K | +15% | 240 |
| Virginia | $48K | +15% | 120 |
| Ohio | $47K | +13% | 600 |
| Iowa | $47K | +13% | 1,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | +13% | 390 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +13% | 830 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +12% | 1,090 |
| Missouri | $46K | +11% | 900 |
| Maine | $46K | +11% | 60 |
| Indiana | $46K | +11% | 810 |
| Illinois | $46K | +10% | 1,910 |
| Kansas | $46K | +9% | 670 |
| Oregon | $44K | +6% | 310 |
| Michigan | $42K | +2% | 460 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +1% | 190 |
| New Jersey | $42K | -0% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $40K | -5% | 550 |
| Maryland | $40K | -5% | 180 |
| Idaho | $39K | -7% | 490 |
| California | $39K | -7% | 7,940 |
| Washington | $38K | -8% | 550 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -10% | 390 |
| Colorado | $37K | -11% | N/A |
| Florida | $37K | -12% | 790 |
| Arizona | $37K | -12% | 730 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -13% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -15% | 130 |
| Georgia | $35K | -15% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -16% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -17% | 380 |
| Texas | $34K | -18% | 2,200 |
| Alabama | $34K | -19% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -23% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track agricultural equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette-West Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural equipment operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,685/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $52K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for agricultural equipment operators?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.43), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do agricultural equipment operators make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $52,100 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,750, and experienced agricultural equipment operators can clear $60,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,526/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 35.2% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 93.43 (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 $55,764 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.