Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a agricultural equipment operators in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA is $44,260/year ($21.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 107.78), so that salary is closer to $41,065 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,827/month, about 92.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.78). 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Agricultural equipment operators pay in Santa Rosa-Petaluma tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,827/month, which is 92.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for agricultural equipment operators in metros near Santa Rosa-Petaluma, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno | $37K | $36K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $37K | $37K |
| Salinas | $39K | $36K |
| Visalia | $36K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level agricultural equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $21K 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 92.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural equipment operators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,348/month. At HUD’s $2,827/month FMR, rent would take 120% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for agricultural equipment operators?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do agricultural equipment operators make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $44,260 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,140, and experienced agricultural equipment operators can clear $60,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,054/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 92.6% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 107.78 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median agricultural equipment operators salary is worth about $41,065 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.