Occupations · Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 49-3042.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 74% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,640 | 7,900 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $62,330 | 5,380 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $61,800 | 5,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $75,610 | 4,430 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,560 | 4,320 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $60,590 | 3,610 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $71,420 | 2,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $92,270 | 2,520 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $65,410 | 2,330 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $64,730 | 2,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $71,160 | 1,950 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $68,780 | 1,910 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
- Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
- Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
- Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
- Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
- Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
- Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
- Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
- Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
- Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
- Weld or solder broken parts and structural members, using electric or gas welders and soldering tools.
- Schedule maintenance for industrial machines and equipment, and keep equipment service records.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2017-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2017-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| mining equipment mechanic | 7233.10 | exact |
| construction equipment technician | 7233.1 | exact |
| land-based machinery technician | 7233.8 | broader |
| forge equipment technician | 7233.5 | broader |
| agricultural machinery technician | 7233.8.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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