Farm equipment operator vs combination operator

The differences between farm equipment operators and combination operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a combination operator has an average salary of $30,962, which is higher than the $27,872 average annual salary of a farm equipment operator.

The top three skills for a farm equipment operator include harvest, CDL and mowing. The most important skills for a combination operator are harvest, wheat, and mechanical problems.

Farm equipment operator vs combination operator overview

	Farm Equipment Operator	Combination Operator
Yearly salary	$27,872	$30,962
Hourly rate	$13.40	$14.89
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	45,459	29,760
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	-	-

Farm equipment operator vs combination operator salary

Farm equipment operators and combination operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Farm Equipment Operator	Combination Operator
Average salary	$27,872	$30,962
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $35,000	Between $23,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Aberdeen, SD	-
Highest paying state	North Dakota	-
Best paying company	The Wonderful Company	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between farm equipment operator and combination operator education

There are a few differences between a farm equipment operator and a combination operator in terms of educational background:

	Farm Equipment Operator	Combination Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Business
Most common college	-	-

Farm equipment operator vs combination operator demographics

Here are the differences between farm equipment operators' and combination operators' demographics:

	Farm Equipment Operator	Combination Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%	Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 1.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between farm equipment operator and combination operator duties and responsibilities

Farm equipment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and conduct the baling, hauling, advertising, and selling of 2000 straw square bales a year from 2002-2006.
Operate combines, grain trucks, tractors, cultivator, and augers.
Landscape work (leaf pickup, lawn mowing, weed spraying, repairing fencing, etc . )
Utilize GPS while planting grain.
Used GPS to navigate farm equipment.
Use of tractor for raking and baling.

Combination operator example responsibilities.

Set up and manage GPS equipment for optimum harvesting efficiency.
Operate a combine with and without GPS and to cut wheat, canola, corn, and soybeans.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Satisfy USDA standards and specifications within the facility.

Farm equipment operator vs combination operator skills

Common farm equipment operator skills

Harvest, 28%
CDL, 7%
Mowing, 5%
GPS, 5%
Routine Maintenance, 5%
Equipment Maintenance, 4%

Common combination operator skills

Harvest, 57%
Wheat, 22%
Mechanical Problems, 4%
Safety Procedures, 3%
Farm Equipment, 3%
CDL, 3%

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Farm Equipment Operator vs Combination Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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