Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $63,750 a year, or about $30.65 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $69,520 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Des Moines-West Des Moines sits well above the national pay line for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,318/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $62K | $70K |
| Ames | $63K | $71K |
| Iowa City | $61K | $67K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $62K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level farm equipment mechanics and service technicians (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $65K | +15% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +11% | 770 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +10% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $62K | +10% | 820 |
| Delaware | $62K | +9% | 70 |
| Montana | $62K | +9% | 400 |
| Washington | $61K | +9% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $61K | +8% | 90 |
| Oregon | $61K | +8% | 660 |
| Indiana | $60K | +7% | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $60K | +7% | N/A |
| Iowa | $60K | +6% | 2,210 |
| Idaho | $60K | +5% | 680 |
| Illinois | $59K | +5% | 1,770 |
| Maine | $59K | +4% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +4% | 1,560 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | +4% | 380 |
| Vermont | $59K | +4% | 130 |
| Connecticut | $59K | +4% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +3% | 1,620 |
| Texas | $57K | +1% | 2,200 |
| New York | $57K | +0% | 650 |
| Utah | $56K | -1% | 190 |
| Colorado | $55K | -2% | 270 |
| California | $54K | -5% | 4,730 |
| Arizona | $54K | -5% | 700 |
| Ohio | $53K | -6% | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $51K | -9% | 960 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -9% | 990 |
| Michigan | $51K | -10% | 980 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -10% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | -11% | 70 |
| Kansas | $50K | -11% | 2,130 |
| Georgia | $50K | -11% | 570 |
| Alabama | $50K | -12% | 680 |
| Hawaii | $50K | -12% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -12% | 120 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -12% | 1,770 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -13% | 520 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -13% | 790 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -13% | 800 |
| Florida | $48K | -14% | 800 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -15% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -15% | 1,030 |
| Virginia | $48K | -16% | 460 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -18% | 260 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -18% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track farm equipment mechanics and service technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farm equipment mechanics and service technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farm equipment mechanics and service technicians typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,841/month. At HUD’s $1,318/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 farm equipment mechanics and service technician a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $64K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farm equipment mechanics and service technicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $63,750 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,350, and experienced farm equipment mechanics and service technicians can clear $78,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 31.6% 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians salary is worth about $69,520 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farm equipment mechanics and service technicians 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.