How To Become A Construction Equipment Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is a construction equipment mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Construction equipment mechanics operate and maintain heavy machinery used on construction sites. They inspect and service the engines in case of damage and perform regular maintenance work to keep them in top shape.

You will drive the machines to the construction site and perform maintenance work for the fleet of vehicles and machines operating at a site. You will diagnose malfunctions and carry out repair works, using computerized equipment for testing when necessary. You will replace parts that do not function anymore, clean machine attachments, and report to management on damaged equipment.

You will need to be certified as a heavy equipment mechanic to perform this role. Experience in this line of work is usually expected, but you can always look for an apprenticeship if you are new to this profession. Being physically fit is a must as you will need to lift heavy weights and perform physically demanding tasks, often outdoors. Extended hours are to be expected, and your annual salary will average around $38,000.

ScoreConstruction Equipment MechanicUS Average

Salary

3.5

Avg. Salary $45,161

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.75%

Asian 1.74%

Black or African American 5.36%

Hispanic or Latino 14.95%

Unknown 3.80%

White 73.40%

Gender

female 7.34%

male 92.66%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a construction equipment mechanic

Explore construction equipment mechanic education requirements

Most common construction equipment mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

40.4 %

Associate

27.1 %

Bachelor's

21.2 %

Start to develop specific construction equipment mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	13.70%
Diesel Engines	7.48%
Loaders	7.40%
Cranes	7.22%
End Loaders	6.65%

Complete relevant construction equipment mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New construction equipment mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a construction equipment mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real construction equipment mechanic resumes.

Research construction equipment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
Work with cranes, scrapers, trench-digging machines, forklifts, bucket loaders, and bulldozers.
Perform preventive maintenance on heavy construction equipment, heavy lift fork loaders and power generation equipment for the DOL installation.
Work on construction equipment such as D9 bulldozers, seven and a half and twenty ton cranes, and earth scrapers.

Prepare your construction equipment mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your construction equipment mechanic resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a construction equipment mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable construction equipment mechanic resume templates

Build a professional construction equipment mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your construction equipment mechanic resume.

Apply for construction equipment mechanic jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a construction equipment mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average construction equipment mechanic salary

The average construction equipment mechanic salary in the United States is $45,161 per year or $22 per hour. Construction equipment mechanic salaries range between $32,000 and $63,000 per year.

Average construction equipment mechanic salary

$45,161 Yearly

$21.71 hourly

How do construction equipment mechanics rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Construction equipment mechanic reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Cons

Nothing

What is a construction equipment mechanic and how to become one

Construction equipment mechanic career paths

Key steps to become a construction equipment mechanic

Explore construction equipment mechanic education requirements

Most common construction equipment mechanic degrees

Start to develop specific construction equipment mechanic skills

Complete relevant construction equipment mechanic training and internships

Research construction equipment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Prepare your construction equipment mechanic resume

Choose from 10+ customizable construction equipment mechanic resume templates

Apply for construction equipment mechanic jobs

How did you land your first construction equipment mechanic job

Average construction equipment mechanic salary

How do construction equipment mechanics rate their job?

Construction equipment mechanic reviews