Crane and Tower Operators salary in El Paso, TX
Crane and Tower Operators in the El Paso, TX metro area earn a median of $62,280 a year ($29.94 an hour), based on BLS data for 120 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $86,800 for the top 10%. That is 9% lower than the national median of $68,080. Pay here is 15% lower than the Texas statewide median of $73,280. There are 0.34 crane and tower operators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $62,230, close to the median.
Pay range for crane and tower operators in El Paso, TX
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,780 | $19.61 |
| 25th percentile | $51,450 | $24.74 |
| Median | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| 75th percentile | $72,230 | $34.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $86,800 | $41.73 |
| Average (mean) | $62,230 | $29.92 |
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 | $5,190 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,595 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,395.38 |
| Weekly | $1,197.69 |
| Hourly | $29.94 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | $79,220 | 150 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $76,010 | 40 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $75,500 | 2,100 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $75,360 | 230 |
| Odessa, TX | $75,310 | 90 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $74,200 | 330 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $73,050 | 240 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $68,640 | 1,310 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $68,200 | 270 |
| Waco, TX | $61,350 | 50 |
| Longview, TX | $60,830 | n/a |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $60,520 | 40 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $56,300 | 50 |
| Tyler, TX | $55,930 | 30 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $54,060 | 30 |
| San Angelo, TX | $45,950 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for crane and tower operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $124,260 |
| Nevada | $115,840 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 |
| Washington | $101,110 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 |
| Massachusetts | $98,150 |
| Alaska | $92,490 |
| Maryland | $87,950 |
| New York | $85,850 |
| Oregon | $83,260 |
See Crane and Tower Operators pay in every state or the Texas statewide figures.
Related jobs in El Paso, TX
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $34,400 | $16.54 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $35,550 | $17.09 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $38,520 | $18.52 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $27,090 | $13.03 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $26,380 | $12.68 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $36,850 | $17.72 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $35,600 | $17.11 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,270 | $23.69 |
| Light Truck Driver | $36,030 | $17.32 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $31,190 | $15.00 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $51,480 | $24.75 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $38,730 | $18.62 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | $32,230 | $15.49 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in El Paso, TX
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 El Paso, TX?
The median salary for crane and tower operators in the El Paso, TX metro area is $62,280 a year, or $29.94 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $86,800 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid crane and tower operators make in El Paso, TX?
The top 10% of crane and tower operators in the El Paso, TX metro area earn at least $86,800 a year. The top 25% earn $72,230 or more.
What is the starting pay for crane and tower operators in El Paso, TX?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,780 a year, and a quarter of crane and tower operators earn $51,450 or less.
How many crane and tower operators work in El Paso, TX?
About 120 crane and tower operators are employed in the El Paso, TX metro area, not counting the self-employed.