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Agriculture

Logging Equipment Operator

Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.

Annual openings

23

Median wage

$49,620

Typical education

High school (GED)

Growth 2026–2032

0%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED)

Credential requirement

Credential requirements not reported

Work experience

No previous work experience is required.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenNo
  • On a computerNo
  • OutdoorsYes
  • With your handsYes

Interests it draws on

  • Agriculture and Sustainability
  • Forestry

Automation exposure

High exposure

Many tasks are repeatable, so technology could reshape the day-to-day over time.

A typical day

  1. Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
  2. Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
  3. Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
  4. Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.
  5. Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
  6. Drive tractors for building or repairing logging and skid roads.
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