Become a Heavy Equipment Technician
Heavy equipment and power generation techs keep excavators, dozers, generators and industrial engines running. Diagnostics are increasingly electronic, and the work pays above the all-occupation median.
The numbers
$62,740 / year
$30.16 / hour
About 21,700 openings per year nationally
Includes growth plus workers retiring or leaving the field
6% growth, 2024–2034
Faster than the average for all occupations
High school diploma plus a diesel/heavy equipment program or on-the-job training
No license required; ASE certifications and a CDL are the differentiators.
Starting out
Dealers and rental houses hire lube techs and shop helpers straight out of high school and pay for further training. Field service techs — the ones who drive a service truck to the job site — earn the most and are hardest to find.
Median for all U.S. occupations was $49,500 for comparison
Top of the trade
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics specifically median $63,980
Based on the national wage distribution for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians.
Source occupation: Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians. Wage figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook national data for May 2024. Job-opening and growth figures are BLS projections for 2024–2034. Pay in the Dallas–Fort Worth market varies by employer, union agreement and overtime.
The career path
Each step is a real milestone with a pay change attached to it. Nobody skips steps — but almost nobody takes longer than this either.
- 1
Lube / service tech
Months 0–18Entry wage
Preventive maintenance, fluids, filters, tracks and undercarriage checks.
- 2
Shop technician
Years 2–4Approaching the median of $62,740
Component repair, hydraulics, electrical troubleshooting with laptop diagnostics.
- 3
Field service technician
Years 4–7At or above median, with strong overtime
Own service truck, diagnose and repair on-site under time pressure.
- 4
Master tech, shop foreman or product support rep
7+ yearsTop of the range
Lead diagnostics, mentor techs, or move into technical support and sales engineering.
A normal day on the job
- Perform scheduled maintenance and inspections
- Plug in a laptop and pull fault codes
- Troubleshoot hydraulic, electrical and engine faults
- Replace pumps, cylinders, injectors and final drives
- Weld and fabricate simple repairs in the field
- Document repairs, parts and hours for warranty claims
- Keep a service truck stocked and safe
What you need to get in
- At least 18 years old
- High school diploma or GED; diesel program strongly preferred
- Valid driver license; CDL eventually
- Mechanical aptitude and comfort with laptops and diagnostic software
- Able to lift heavy components and work outdoors year round
- Drug screen, background check and clean MVR
Licenses & certifications
In the trades, credentials are what move your pay. Here is the order most people collect them in.
ASE Medium/Heavy Truck or Equipment certifications
Years 1–4National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
Series exams that document your diagnostic skill and usually trigger pay bumps.
Commercial Driver License (CDL)
Year 1–3Texas DPS
Lets you haul equipment and qualifies you for field service roles.
OSHA 10
First monthsOSHA-authorized trainers
Required for work on active construction sites.
Manufacturer training
OngoingEquipment and engine manufacturers
Brand-specific certification ladders; dealers pay for these and they raise your rate.
EPA 608 (for power/HVAC crossovers)
OptionalEPA-approved testers
Useful if you service climate control or refrigerated equipment.
Licensing rules change and vary by state and city. Confirm current requirements with the licensing board or apprenticeship sponsor before you plan around them.
Specializations
You do not have to pick on day one, but knowing the branches helps you aim. The narrower specialties usually pay the most.
Earthmoving equipment
Dozers, excavators and loaders for construction fleets.
Power generation
Generators and switchgear — critical for data centers and hospitals.
Hydraulics
Pumps, valves and cylinders; a deep specialty with few experts.
Electronic diagnostics
Engine controls, sensors and telematics.
Field service
Mobile repair with your own truck; highest earning path.
Your step-by-step action plan
Start at step one this week. You do not need money or a degree to begin — you need a safety card, a ride, and a list of employers to call.
- 1
Take auto shop, welding and electronics in high school
Modern equipment repair is half electrical diagnosis.
- 2
Enroll in a diesel or heavy equipment program
One to two years at a community college or technical school; dealers recruit directly from these programs.
- 3
Start as a lube tech at a dealer or rental house
It is the standard entry job and dealers pay for your manufacturer training.
- 4
Buy tools gradually
Most shops expect you to own hand tools. Start basic and build with each paycheck.
- 5
Search heavy equipment and power employers on BlueBoard
Equipment dealers, rental yards and power service companies hire techs and helpers continuously.
- 6
Get your CDL and first ASE certifications
Together they qualify you for field service, which is where the overtime and pay are.
- 7
Specialize in hydraulics or power generation
Both are short on qualified people and both pay above general shop work.
