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The average salary for a heavy equipment mechanic is $49,018 per year. This figure reflects various factors, including experience, location, and type of employer. Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with extensive experience or specialized skills can command higher wages. For instance, mechanics working in construction or mining often earn more than those in general maintenance roles.
Several elements play a role in determining a heavy equipment mechanic's salary:
By understanding these factors, aspiring heavy equipment mechanics can better navigate their career paths and maximize their earning potential.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level heavy equipment mechanic | $42,900 | $20.61 |
| Mid-level heavy equipment mechanic | $51,000 | $24.53 |
| Senior-level heavy equipment mechanic | $55,800 | $26.83 |
The average heavy equipment mechanic salary in Vermont, Illinois, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average heavy equipment mechanic salary states are Nebraska, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $60,171 | $28.93 |
| 2 | Nevada | $60,415 | $29.05 |
| 3 | Vermont | $65,649 | $31.56 |
| 4 | Alaska | $61,817 | $29.72 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $56,987 | $27.40 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $54,727 | $26.31 |
| 7 | Washington | $62,043 | $29.83 |
| 8 | Oregon | $59,728 | $28.72 |
| 9 | Illinois | $63,785 | $30.67 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $51,163 | $24.60 |
| 11 | California | $62,331 | $29.97 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $52,465 | $25.22 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $57,776 | $27.78 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $51,389 | $24.71 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $55,936 | $26.89 |
| 16 | Utah | $49,905 | $23.99 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $53,727 | $25.83 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $57,154 | $27.48 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $48,951 | $23.53 |
| 20 | Ohio | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 21 | Delaware | $52,377 | $25.18 |
| 22 | Maryland | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| 23 | Arizona | $51,403 | $24.71 |
| 24 | Colorado | $52,123 | $25.06 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $52,941 | $25.45 |
| 26 | New York | $52,828 | $25.40 |
| 27 | Idaho | $45,550 | $21.90 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $50,037 | $24.06 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $44,890 | $21.58 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $49,752 | $23.92 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $45,183 | $21.72 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $45,092 | $21.68 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $46,799 | $22.50 |
| 34 | Iowa | $42,759 | $20.56 |
| 35 | Kansas | $47,637 | $22.90 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $43,207 | $20.77 |
| 37 | Michigan | $47,784 | $22.97 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | $49,973 | $24.03 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $51,904 | $24.95 |
| 40 | Indiana | $42,629 | $20.49 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $43,842 | $21.08 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $39,817 | $19.14 |
| 43 | Georgia | $42,695 | $20.53 |
| 44 | Virginia | $47,399 | $22.79 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $39,825 | $19.15 |
| 46 | Alabama | $38,395 | $18.46 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $39,472 | $18.98 |
| 48 | Texas | $42,464 | $20.42 |
| 49 | Florida | $39,071 | $18.78 |
| 50 | Missouri | $43,240 | $20.79 |
| 51 | Maine | $38,443 | $18.48 |
The highest-paying cities for heavy equipment mechanics are Oakland, CA, Aurora, IL, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $65,916 | $31.69 |
| 2 | Aurora, IL | $63,822 | $30.68 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $62,515 | $30.06 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $59,835 | $28.77 |
| 5 | Albuquerque, NM | $57,210 | $27.50 |
| 6 | Saint Paul, MN | $55,875 | $26.86 |
| 7 | Grand Junction, CO | $53,676 | $25.81 |
| 8 | Providence, RI | $53,673 | $25.80 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $52,826 | $25.40 |
| 10 | Yuma, AZ | $52,594 | $25.29 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,386 | $24.22 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $49,953 | $24.02 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $48,535 | $23.33 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $47,781 | $22.97 |
| 15 | Richmond, VA | $47,305 | $22.74 |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO | $43,731 | $21.02 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, NC | $43,541 | $20.93 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $43,469 | $20.90 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $42,961 | $20.65 |
| 20 | Bettendorf, IA | $42,728 | $20.54 |
A heavy equipment mechanic's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| Average | $49,018 | $4,085 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of heavy equipment mechanics are mobile equipment mechanic, lead mechanic, and senior mechanic.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Service Technician | $43,077 | $3,590 | $20.71 | 177,784 |
| Auto Technician | $41,435 | $3,453 | $19.92 | 131,515 |
| Diesel Technician | $46,868 | $3,906 | $22.53 | 128,944 |
| Mechanic Helper | $31,892 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 48,546 |
| Automotive Mechanic | $42,864 | $3,572 | $20.61 | 95,703 |
| Mechanic | $47,149 | $3,929 | $22.67 | 100,534 |
Top companies hiring heavy equipment mechanics now:
Heavy equipment mechanic salaries at BNSF Railway and Sierra Pacific Industries are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average heavy equipment mechanic salary at companies like Brookhaven National Laboratory and Union Standard Equipment are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BNSF Railway | $78,412 | $37.70 |
| 2 | Sierra Pacific Industries | $68,104 | $32.74 |
| 3 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $67,211 | $32.31 |
| 4 | Union Standard Equipment | $66,455 | $31.95 |
| 5 | Granite Construction | $65,388 | $31.44 |
| 6 | FNF Construction | $64,743 | $31.13 |
| 7 | BT Construction | $64,656 | $31.08 |
| 8 | Hunter Contracting | $64,640 | $31.08 |
| 9 | American Construction | $64,632 | $31.07 |
| 10 | Hubbard Construction | $64,621 | $31.07 |
| 11 | FBi Buildings | $64,435 | $30.98 |
| 12 | McCarthy Holdings, Inc. | $64,317 | $30.92 |
| 13 | Jr. Davis Construction | $64,265 | $30.90 |
| 14 | Tube City IMS | $64,205 | $30.87 |
| 15 | RailWorks | $64,160 | $30.85 |
| 16 | American Asphalt | $63,892 | $30.72 |
| 17 | Rummel Construction | $63,871 | $30.71 |
| 18 | Whitcon Website | $63,835 | $30.69 |
| 19 | Ledcor | $63,781 | $30.66 |
| 20 | Interstate Highway Construction | $63,718 | $30.63 |
The average heavy equipment mechanic salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $60,682 | $29.17 |
| 2 | Construction | $57,680 | $27.73 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $56,989 | $27.40 |
| 4 | Professional | $56,385 | $27.11 |
| 5 | Technology | $53,187 | $25.57 |
| 6 | Government | $41,484 | $19.94 |
The average heavy equipment mechanic salary has risen by $8,634 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average heavy equipment mechanic earned $40,384 annually, but today, they earn $49,018 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for heavy equipment mechanics over the last decade.
Compare heavy equipment mechanic salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare heavy equipment mechanic salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $49,000 | $23.57 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $47,300 | $22.72 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $46,000 | $22.11 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $45,000 | $21.65 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $43,700 | $21.02 | +1.2% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Its Conglobal | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Toledo, OH | 06/29/2025 | $64,697 |
| W M Holdings Inc. | Senior Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Rochester, NH | 06/29/2025 | $64,697 |
| Joe Johnson Equipment | Heavy Equipment Mechanic/Technician | Denver, CO | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Aerotek | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Las Vegas, NV | 06/28/2025 | $56,349 |
| Aerotek | Hydraulic/Heavy Equipment Traveling Field Mechanic | Bakersfield, CA | 06/28/2025 | $83,480 |
| In-Terminal Services | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Toledo, OH | 06/28/2025 | $64,697 |
| Vitus Search Group | Heavy Equipment Diesel Mechanic | Noma, FL | 06/28/2025 | $87,654 |
| Waste Connections | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $58,436 |
| State of Minnesota | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Duluth, MN | 06/27/2025 | $69,050 |
| County of Mendocino | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Mendocino, CA | 06/27/2025 | $53,435 |
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