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The DieselTechWork Team covers pay, career paths, and hiring for diesel and heavy equipment mechanics. Pay and employment figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Living cost comparisons come from Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price data. Statistics about job listings, such as how often listings ask for a CDL, come from listings posted on DieselTechWork.
Heavy equipment mechanics earn a median of about $65,500 a year, or about $31.50 an hour, according to BLS May 2025 data. If you work on trucks now, that's about $3,700 more than the typical diesel mechanic makes, or roughly $310 more a month before taxes.
You come out ahead at every stage of your career, from your first job to the top of the trade. In the table, Starting is what the lowest paid 10% earn, and Typical is the median.
| Pay Level | Heavy Equipment | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | $46,820 | $44,530 |
| Typical | $65,510 | $61,770 |
| Top 10% | $94,460 | $88,740 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
About 176,600 people do this work in the U.S., keeping bulldozers, excavators, loaders, cranes, and mining trucks running.
Which Employers Pay Heavy Equipment Mechanics the Most?
If you want the highest pay, look at metal mines and equipment dealers, where the typical mechanic earns about $77,200 and $74,100. Dealers also have the most jobs, with about 1 in 4 heavy equipment mechanic positions, so you are not chasing a handful of openings.
Government work pays well too, about $71,700 at federal agencies and about $64,600 at local governments. The highest paying jobs of all are at seaports, where mechanics earn a median of about $129,300. There are only about 3,600 of those jobs in the whole country, about 2% of the field, so unless you live near a port, a mine or a dealer is your realistic top tier.
Dealer or Rental Company?
If you can get hired at a dealer, take it. The typical dealer job pays about $74,100, and the typical rental company job pays about $61,700. That gap is about $12,500 a year, or roughly $6 more for every hour you work. If you stay at a rental company and count on 3% yearly raises, it takes about six years just to reach what a dealer pays today.
Dealers are also struggling to hire, which gives you leverage. In the AED Foundation's 2026 Technician Shortage Research Report, 80% of construction and farm equipment dealers said they could not keep up with customer demand because they did not have enough qualified technicians. If you have hydraulics experience, ask for the top of the posted range instead of taking the first number.
Rental companies are still a solid way in, and so are dealer sponsored training programs. They are the second largest employer of heavy equipment mechanics, with about 1 in 9 jobs, so you have more openings to apply to. A few years on hydraulics and engines at a rental shop puts you in a stronger spot when you apply at a dealer.
Browse heavy equipment technician jobs and construction equipment technician jobs to compare employers.
Which States Pay Heavy Equipment Mechanics the Most?
Alaska pays the most, with a typical wage of about $82,700. If you are willing to move for pay, these five states all pay close to $80,000:
- Alaska - About $82,700
- Nevada - About $79,900
- Minnesota - About $79,400
- Hawaii - About $79,200
- Washington - About $78,600
If you would rather stay in a big job market, California and Texas each have about 20,100 heavy equipment mechanics, more than any other state, but they pay very differently. California's typical wage is about $78,600, and its top 10% earn about $129,300 or more, about twice what a typical Texas mechanic makes. Texas pays about $61,900, below the national figure, and the Texas diesel mechanic guide shows how pay there changes from city to city.
West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Mississippi pay the least, about $56,800 to $58,200. If you work in one of them, check the state next door. From Oklahoma, a move to Texas adds about $3,800 at the median.
Should Diesel Mechanics Switch to Heavy Equipment?
Yes, if you can get hired at an equipment dealer or a mine. The typical dealer job pays about $74,100, about $12,400 more than the typical diesel mechanic's $61,800, which is roughly a 20% raise. A rental company job pays about $61,700, close to what you make now, so that move changes the work more than the paycheck.
Expect the work itself to change. Heavy equipment centers on hydraulics, undercarriage, and powertrains, and much of it happens in the field at job sites instead of in a shop bay. If you are coming over from trucks, look at field mechanic jobs, and check whether the role drives a service truck big enough that you need a CDL.
Before you decide, see where your current pay ranks in the diesel mechanic salary guide, so you know how big the jump would be where you live.
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When you apply, put the hydraulic systems and equipment brands you have worked on at the top of your resume. PopResume is a resume builder you can use for that.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Heavy Equipment Mechanic the Same as a Diesel Mechanic?
No. BLS counts them as separate jobs. Heavy equipment mechanics repair construction, mining, and other mobile heavy equipment, while diesel mechanics repair trucks, buses, and diesel engines. The skills overlap, since both work on large diesel powered machines, which is why switching between the two is realistic.
What Is the Highest Paying Heavy Equipment Mechanic Job?
Seaport mechanics earn the most, with a median of about $129,300. With only about 3,600 of those jobs nationwide, metal ore mining is the more realistic high paying option for most mechanics, at about $77,200.
How Much Do Heavy Equipment Mechanics Make in Texas?
Texas heavy equipment mechanics earn a median of about $61,900, below the national median of about $65,500. Texas ties California for the most heavy equipment mechanic jobs, about 20,100, so you have plenty of openings to compare. Browse heavy equipment mechanic jobs in Texas.
Last updated: October 2026.