Crane and Tower Operators salary in the U.S.
Crane and Tower Operators in the U.S. earn a median of $68,080 a year ($32.73 an hour), based on BLS data for 42,890 workers.
Pay ranges from $42,640 for the lowest-paid 10% to $103,570 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $72,130, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for crane and tower operators in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,640 | $20.50 |
| 25th percentile | $52,600 | $25.29 |
| Median | $68,080 | $32.73 |
| 75th percentile | $83,200 | $40.00 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $103,570 | $49.79 |
| Average (mean) | $72,130 | $34.68 |
Half of crane and tower operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,673.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,836.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,618.46 |
| Weekly | $1,309.23 |
| Hourly | $32.73 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Crane and Tower Operators salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $124,260 | 190 |
| Nevada | $115,840 | 380 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 | n/a |
| Washington | $101,110 | 1,030 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $98,150 | 680 |
| Alaska | $92,490 | 50 |
| Maryland | $87,950 | n/a |
| New York | $85,850 | 1,150 |
| Oregon | $83,260 | 340 |
| North Dakota | $82,890 | 180 |
| Montana | $82,800 | 30 |
| Connecticut | $81,360 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $80,930 | 370 |
| California | $79,570 | 2,130 |
| Wyoming | $77,970 | 230 |
| Colorado | $77,120 | 470 |
| Kansas | $77,100 | 780 |
| Texas | $73,280 | 6,010 |
| Vermont | $72,760 | 170 |
| Florida | $71,560 | 2,570 |
| South Dakota | $71,000 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $67,720 | 440 |
| Iowa | $67,600 | 650 |
| Utah | $67,410 | 440 |
| Arizona | $67,350 | 930 |
| Virginia | $66,600 | 1,120 |
| Maine | $65,690 | 360 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,190 | 1,630 |
| North Carolina | $64,480 | 1,050 |
| South Carolina | $64,120 | 720 |
| Oklahoma | $63,590 | 620 |
| New Hampshire | $63,310 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $62,400 | 290 |
| Georgia | $62,050 | 1,370 |
| Kentucky | $62,000 | 640 |
| Illinois | $61,820 | 1,220 |
| Mississippi | $61,260 | 550 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 | 1,930 |
| Alabama | $60,790 | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $60,720 | 410 |
| Delaware | $60,160 | 220 |
| Michigan | $59,740 | 1,310 |
| Tennessee | $59,410 | 660 |
| Missouri | $58,450 | 630 |
| Guam | $58,140 | 50 |
| Ohio | $57,620 | 1,780 |
| West Virginia | $54,830 | 170 |
| Indiana | $52,950 | 2,300 |
| Idaho | $52,770 | n/a |
| Arkansas | $41,600 | 880 |
Best-paying metro areas for crane and tower operators
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $131,690 | n/a |
| Worcester, MA | $122,260 | 110 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $120,560 | 170 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $120,310 | 40 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $116,840 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $114,330 | 570 |
| Reno, NV | $101,160 | n/a |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100,640 | 1,500 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $99,540 | 180 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $99,320 | 110 |
| New Haven, CT | $99,130 | 30 |
| Reading, PA | $98,860 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $98,410 | 240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $98,140 | 500 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $97,740 | 50 |
Metro areas with the most crane and tower operators
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,100 | $75,500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,880 | $55,890 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,500 | $100,640 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,310 | $68,640 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 790 | $72,010 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 660 | $62,910 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 650 | $59,740 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 630 | $72,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 590 | $81,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 570 | $114,330 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 560 | $66,680 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 530 | $78,100 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 500 | $98,140 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 430 | $71,400 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 420 | $65,490 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $49,690 | $23.89 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $41,220 | $19.82 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | $41,800 | $20.10 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| Wellhead Pumper | $69,960 | $33.63 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | $58,870 | $28.30 |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | $77,320 | $37.17 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | $56,450 | $27.14 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-7021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a crane and tower operators make in the U.S.?
The median salary for crane and tower operators in the U.S. is $68,080 a year, or $32.73 an hour. Pay ranges from $42,640 for the lowest-paid 10% to $103,570 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid crane and tower operators make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of crane and tower operators in the U.S. earn at least $103,570 a year. The top 25% earn $83,200 or more.
What is the starting pay for crane and tower operators in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $42,640 a year, and a quarter of crane and tower operators earn $52,600 or less.
How many crane and tower operators work in the U.S.?
About 42,890 crane and tower operators are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.