# Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

US SOC code 49-3042. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/49-3042

Also called: Heavy equipment mechanic, Construction equipment technician, Heavy equipment technician, Construction mechanic, Excavator mechanic.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **176,600** US mobile heavy equipment mechanics (except engines), with median pay of **$65,510** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **180,270**, in May 2024, close to the May 2025 count. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://americancanalsociety.org/barge-canal-construction-equipment-the-steam-shovel/) of **15,000** from 1905, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for mobile heavy equipment mechanics: Multi-OEM diagnostic platforms and laptop-based scan tools, 2000 to 2018.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-3042&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **12.5%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1839
- Latest US employment: 176,600 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $65,510 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: +6.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [25]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 72401)
  - Employment, 2020: 44,340. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 72401 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$79,500. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [14]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 72401 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1905 | 15,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., American Canal Society [1] |
| 1956 | 85,000 (estimate) | $3,800 (estimate) | Est., National Archives (employment) [2]; Est., University of Missouri Libraries (pay) [9] |
| 1973 | 120,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Caterpillar News [3] |
| 2000 | 142,000 (estimate) | $35,000 (estimate) | Est., O\*NET 49-3042.00 [4] |
| 2003 | 115,090 | $36,800 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 112,000 | $38,150 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 117,500 | $39,410 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 119,060 | $40,440 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 124,180 | $41,450 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 125,930 | $42,820 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 120,450 | $44,120 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 108,540 | $44,830 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 109,810 | $45,600 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 110,200 | $46,050 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 116,590 | $46,870 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 119,280 | $47,580 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 121,900 | $48,770 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 123,570 | $49,370 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 131,590 | $50,860 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 140,260 | $51,920 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 147,800 | $53,370 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 147,680 | $55,350 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 145,230 | $58,030 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 158,350 | $59,440 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 177,280 | $61,900 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 180,270 | $63,980 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 176,600 | $65,510 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (92)

### Employment series

1. [American Canal Society -- Steam Shovel crews on Barge Canal construction: engine man, cranes man, and fireman as standard three-person crew per machine](https://americancanalsociety.org/barge-canal-construction-equipment-the-steam-shovel/), American Canal Society
2. [National Archives -- National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956): authorized 41,000-mile system, $26 billion federal commitment, triggering major construction equipment fleet expansion](https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/national-interstate-and-defense-highways-act), National Archives
3. [Caterpillar News -- Excavator Evolution: Caterpillar introduced its first commercial hydraulic excavator, the 225, in 1972-1973, establishing the platform that would come to dominate North American construction](https://www.caterpillar.com/en/news/caterpillarNews/2024/excavator-evolution.html), Caterpillar
4. [O\*NET 49-3042.00 -- BLS-sourced employment reference, occupational code introduction under 2000 SOC](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3042.00), O\*NET / BLS
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [University of Missouri Libraries -- Prices and Wages by Decade 1950-1959 (BLS construction wage series, skilled trades 1956)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
10. [O\*NET 49-3042.00 -- reference occupational profile, wage context circa 2000 SOC introduction](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3042.00), O\*NET / BLS
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

15. [American Canal Society -- Steam Shovel crews: engine man, cranes man, and fireman as standard crew; boiler maintenance was a full-time specialized role](https://americancanalsociety.org/barge-canal-construction-equipment-the-steam-shovel/), American Canal Society
16. [William Otis patent 1839 -- US Patent for the first steam shovel, precursor of the steam-powered construction equipment fleet that defined the mechanic occupation](https://transportationhistory.org/2023/02/24/1839-a-u-s-patent-is-granted-for-a-groundbreaking-machine-for-major-transportation-projects/), Transportation History
17. [HeavyQuip Magazine -- History of Construction Equipment: Caterpillar introduced the Diesel Sixty Tractor in 1931, the first successful diesel-powered construction tractor](https://www.heavyquipmag.com/construction-equipment-encyclopedia/history-of-construction-equipment/), HeavyQuip Magazine
18. [IUOE History -- International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers expanded jurisdiction to diesel, gas, and electric machinery in 1912, formally recognizing the transition from steam](https://www.iuoe.org/about-iuoe/history-of-iuoe), International Union of Operating Engineers
19. [Caterpillar News -- Excavator Evolution: Caterpillar's 225 (1972) was a landmark US commercial hydraulic excavator, establishing the hydraulic platform that now dominates mobile equipment](https://www.caterpillar.com/en/news/caterpillarNews/2024/excavator-evolution.html), Caterpillar
20. [Caterpillar -- Cat ET (Electronic Technician): connects via laptop to Caterpillar machine ECMs for diagnostics, configuration, and flash-file updates; foundational since its introduction around 2000](https://catcrm.my.site.com/HelpCenter/s/article/What-is-Caterpillar-Electronic-Technician-Cat-ET?language=en_US), Caterpillar
21. [Komatsu -- KOMTRAX: monitors equipment status and predicts malfunction occurrence; standard on most new Komatsu machines since 2001](https://www.komatsu.com/en-za/services/remote-monitoring/komtrax), Komatsu
22. [Noregon -- JPRO Professional: multi-brand heavy equipment diagnostic platform; 2024 v3 added 486 additional Caterpillar off-highway models](https://www.noregon.com/jpro/), Noregon
23. [Business Research Company -- Construction Machinery Telematics Market 2026: $1.29B in 2025 growing at 12% CAGR; 64% of contractors use telematics for fleet performance optimization and predictive maintenance](https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/construction-machinery-telematics-global-market-report), Business Research Company
24. [AED Foundation 2024 -- Equipment Industry Technician Shortage: 40,000 unfilled positions; 73,500 new technicians needed over five years](https://aedfoundation.org/the-equipment-industry-technician-shortage/), AED Foundation

### Forecasts and exposure studies

25. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 49-3042 Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (2025: 180.3 thousand; 2035: 192.5 thousand; +6.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=49-3042&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
26. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 49-3042.00, human-rated β 0.125)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

27. [Transportation History -- 1839: US Patent granted for steam shovel (William Otis)](https://transportationhistory.org/2023/02/24/1839-a-u-s-patent-is-granted-for-a-groundbreaking-machine-for-major-transportation-projects/), Transportation History
28. [American Canal Society -- Barge Canal construction: 102 steam shovels in the Panama Canal dig, Bucyrus and Marion as primary manufacturers](https://americancanalsociety.org/barge-canal-construction-equipment-the-steam-shovel/), American Canal Society
29. [IUOE -- History of IUOE: 1912 expansion to diesel, gas, and electric machinery](https://www.iuoe.org/about-iuoe/history-of-iuoe), International Union of Operating Engineers
30. [National Archives -- National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956)](https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/national-interstate-and-defense-highways-act), National Archives
31. [Caterpillar News -- Excavator Evolution: Caterpillar 225 (1972-1973), first commercial US hydraulic excavator](https://www.caterpillar.com/en/news/caterpillarNews/2024/excavator-evolution.html), Caterpillar
32. [Komatsu -- KOMTRAX remote monitoring: standard on most new Komatsu machines since 2001, predicts malfunction occurrence to minimize downtime](https://www.komatsu.com/en-za/services/remote-monitoring/komtrax), Komatsu
33. [PeopleReady -- How the IIJA Impacts Construction Staffing: $454B allocated, 56,000 projects underway by May 2024](https://www.peopleready.com/staffing-resources/the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-impact-on-construction-staffing/), PeopleReady

### Predecessors & successors

34. [American Canal Society -- Steam Shovel crews on Barge Canal construction: dedicated engine man and fireman roles](https://americancanalsociety.org/barge-canal-construction-equipment-the-steam-shovel/), American Canal Society
35. [IUOE History -- IUOE expanded to diesel, gas, and electric machinery in 1912, absorbing mechanics from automotive and industrial trades](https://www.iuoe.org/about-iuoe/history-of-iuoe), International Union of Operating Engineers

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 -- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (49-3042.00): tasks, knowledge, technology skills](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3042.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians: 6% growth 2024-2034, 21,700 annual openings, median wage $63,980](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Installation-Maintenance-and-Repair/Heavy-vehicle-and-mobile-equipment-service-technicians.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 -- GPTs are GPTs (Science): physical repair tasks are near-zero LLM exposure; manual dexterity and unpredictable environments are hard automation bottlenecks](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Goldman Sachs 2023 -- Generative AI could affect 300 million jobs; physical trades in installation/repair cluster show lowest exposure](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AED Foundation 2024 -- Equipment Industry Technician Shortage: 40,000 unfilled positions; 73,500 new technicians needed over five years](https://aedfoundation.org/the-equipment-industry-technician-shortage/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [For Construction Pros -- EquipmentShare named 2025 Fleet Management Technology Company of the Year; T3 platform supports field technician diagnostics and work-order management](https://www.equipmentshare.com/press-releases/equipmentshare-named-2025-fleet-management-technology-company-of-the-year-by-autotech-breakthrough-and-included-in-construction-executives-2025-top-tech-tm-report), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Business Research Company -- Construction Machinery Telematics Market 2026: $1.29B in 2025 growing at 12% CAGR; AI-based performance analytics and predictive maintenance adoption driving growth](https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/construction-machinery-telematics-global-market-report), accessed 2026-06-05
- [EquipmentShare T3 -- AI-powered work order creation, fault-code-driven parts suggestions, and mobile service history tracking for field technicians](https://www.equipmentshare.com/t3), accessed 2026-06-05
- [MaintainX -- mobile CMMS for field technicians: work order creation, asset history, and parts inventory in real time](https://www.getmaintainx.com/use-cases/work-order-management), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Caterpillar -- Cat ET (Electronic Technician) 2026A: communicates with Caterpillar machine ECMs for diagnostics, ECM configuration, and flash file upload](https://catcrm.my.site.com/HelpCenter/s/article/What-is-Caterpillar-Electronic-Technician-Cat-ET?language=en_US), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Noregon -- JPRO Professional 2024 v3: added support for 486 additional Caterpillar off-highway equipment models and 600 Cummins-powered off-highway models](https://www.aftermarketnews.com/noregon-jpro-3-software/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Caterpillar -- VisionLink Full Fleet Management: real-time fault alerts, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance scheduling across mixed fleets](https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/technology/equipment-management/equipment-management/102680.html), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Komatsu -- KOMTRAX monitors equipment status and predicts malfunction occurrence to minimize downtime; standard on most new Komatsu machines since 2001](https://www.komatsu.com/en-za/services/remote-monitoring/komtrax), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.