Agricultural Equipment Operators
Machines can already do 33% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 74%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Agricultural Equipment Operators in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 33% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 74% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 28,500 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $41,730 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 52% for contact with people.
- Also called: Baler Operator, Cutter Operator, Equipment Operator, Farm Equipment Operator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment | 30% | 45% to 85% | |
| Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions | 11% | 30% to 75% | |
| Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers | 9% | 20% to 60% | |
| Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops | 9% | 45% to 85% | |
| Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery | 6% | 45% to 85% | |
| Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers | 6% | 30% to 75% | |
| Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery | 4% | 20% to 60% | |
| Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools | 4% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills agricultural equipment operators use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $60,600
- Sailors and Marine Oilers57% of tasks by 2035 · US median $51,520
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining69% of tasks by 2035 · US median $57,430
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers72% of tasks by 2035 · US median $58,640
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Agricultural Equipment Operators?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of agricultural equipment operators?
Machines can do 33% of the tasks of agricultural equipment operators today and 74% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 45-2091.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Agricultural Equipment Operators: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/agricultural-equipment-operators/