Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.
- Median pay
- $65,510
- Doing it now
- 180,300
- By 2035
- Up 6.7%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
15,000 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
- Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
- Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
- Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
- Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
- Clean, lubricate, and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles.
- Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/TechniciansSee 2 colleges that teach it
- Agricultural MechanizationSee 24 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $65,510 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.