53 Series · SOC 53-7021
Crane and Tower Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $68,080
- Median / year
- $103,570
- Top 10% earn
- +3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 42,890
- US workers
Crane and Tower Operators earn a median of $68,080 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $68,080, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $42,640 (10th percentile) to $103,570 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 42,890 US workers. Hawaii pays the most ($124,260), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Crane and Tower Operators earn a median of $68,080, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 60% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #13 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2033.
- $68,080
- Median annual wage
- Top 40%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #13 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Hawaii at $124,260. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Crane and Tower Operators (SOC 53-7021) pays a national median of $68,080 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $42,640 at the 10th percentile to $103,570 at the 90th, with a mean of $72,130 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 42,890 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 229 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Hawaii pays the highest state median at $124,260, which is +83% above the national figure. The top metro is Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV at $131,690 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$68,080
per year
Median Hourly
$32.73/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$72,130
average
Employment
42,890
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Crane and Tower Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$68,080 Top 40% higher than 60% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Crane and Tower Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 53-series occupations with growth data, Crane and Tower Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +3% growth and $68,080 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
3,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Crane and Tower Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
- ▸ Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
- ▸ Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
- ▸ Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
- ▸ Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.
- ▸ Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
- ▸ Load or unload bundles from trucks, or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.
- ▸ Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements, and remove and batch packaging tickets.
- ▸ Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
- ▸ Direct truck drivers backing vehicles into loading bays and cover, uncover, or secure loads for delivery.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$42,640
25th Percentile
$52,600
Median
$68,080
75th Percentile
$83,200
90th Percentile
$103,570
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $124,260 | +83% above national |
| 2 | Nevada | $115,840 | +70% above national |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $104,340 | +53% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $101,110 | +49% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $100,640 | +48% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $98,150 | +44% above national |
| 7 | Alaska | $92,490 | +36% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $87,950 | +29% above national |
| 9 | New York | $85,850 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $83,260 | +22% above national |
| 11 | North Dakota | $82,890 | +22% above national |
| 12 | Montana | $82,800 | +22% above national |
| 13 | Connecticut | $81,360 | +20% above national |
| 14 | Minnesota | $80,930 | +19% above national |
| 15 | California | $79,570 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Wyoming | $77,970 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Colorado | $77,120 | +13% above national |
| 18 | Kansas | $77,100 | +13% above national |
| 19 | Texas | $73,280 | +8% above national |
| 20 | Vermont | $72,760 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Florida | $71,560 | +5% above national |
| 22 | South Dakota | $71,000 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $67,720 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Iowa | $67,600 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Utah | $67,410 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Arizona | $67,350 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Virginia | $66,600 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Maine | $65,690 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $65,190 | 4% below national |
| 30 | North Carolina | $64,480 | 5% below national |
| 31 | South Carolina | $64,120 | 6% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $63,590 | 7% below national |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $63,310 | 7% below national |
| 34 | New Mexico | $62,400 | 8% below national |
| 35 | Georgia | $62,050 | 9% below national |
| 36 | Kentucky | $62,000 | 9% below national |
| 37 | Illinois | $61,820 | 9% below national |
| 38 | Mississippi | $61,260 | 10% below national |
| 39 | Louisiana | $61,170 | 10% below national |
| 40 | Alabama | $60,790 | 11% below national |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,720 | 11% below national |
| 42 | Delaware | $60,160 | 12% below national |
| 43 | Michigan | $59,740 | 12% below national |
| 44 | Tennessee | $59,410 | 13% below national |
| 45 | Missouri | $58,450 | 14% below national |
| 46 | Guam | $58,140 | 15% below national |
| 47 | Ohio | $57,620 | 15% below national |
| 48 | West Virginia | $54,830 | 19% below national |
| 49 | Indiana | $52,950 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Idaho | $52,770 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $41,600 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 229 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $131,690 | +93% above national |
| 2 | Worcester, MA | $122,260 | +80% above national |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $120,560 | +77% above national |
| 4 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $120,310 | +77% above national |
| 5 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $116,840 | +72% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $114,330 | +68% above national |
| 7 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $109,360 | +61% above national |
| 8 | Reno, NV | $101,160 | +49% above national |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100,640 | +48% above national |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $99,540 | +46% above national |
| 11 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $99,320 | +46% above national |
| 12 | New Haven, CT | $99,130 | +46% above national |
| 13 | Reading, PA | $98,860 | +45% above national |
| 14 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $98,410 | +45% above national |
| 15 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $98,140 | +44% above national |
| 16 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $97,740 | +44% above national |
| 17 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $96,510 | +42% above national |
| 18 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $92,490 | +36% above national |
| 19 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $92,120 | +35% above national |
| 20 | Springfield, MA | $90,320 | +33% above national |
| 21 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $89,880 | +32% above national |
| 22 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $87,950 | +29% above national |
| 23 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $83,280 | +22% above national |
| 24 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $83,040 | +22% above national |
| 25 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $82,520 | +21% above national |
| 26 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $82,270 | +21% above national |
| 27 | Fargo, ND-MN | $81,980 | +20% above national |
| 28 | Las Cruces, NM | $81,830 | +20% above national |
| 29 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $81,490 | +20% above national |
| 30 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $81,280 | +19% above national |
| 31 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $81,150 | +19% above national |
| 32 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $80,880 | +19% above national |
| 33 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $80,850 | +19% above national |
| 34 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $80,700 | +19% above national |
| 35 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $80,260 | +18% above national |
| 36 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $79,970 | +17% above national |
| 37 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $79,720 | +17% above national |
| 38 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $79,500 | +17% above national |
| 39 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $79,240 | +16% above national |
| 40 | Midland, TX | $79,220 | +16% above national |
| 41 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $78,920 | +16% above national |
| 42 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $78,310 | +15% above national |
| 43 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $78,200 | +15% above national |
| 44 | Wichita, KS | $78,180 | +15% above national |
| 45 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,140 | +15% above national |
| 46 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $78,100 | +15% above national |
| 47 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $78,080 | +15% above national |
| 48 | Casper, WY | $77,830 | +14% above national |
| 49 | Lincoln, NE | $77,500 | +14% above national |
| 50 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $77,490 | +14% above national |
| 51 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $77,420 | +14% above national |
| 52 | Fresno, CA | $77,330 | +14% above national |
| 53 | Vallejo, CA | $77,320 | +14% above national |
| 54 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $77,200 | +13% above national |
| 55 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $77,130 | +13% above national |
| 56 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $77,010 | +13% above national |
| 57 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $76,940 | +13% above national |
| 58 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $76,750 | +13% above national |
| 59 | Saginaw, MI | $76,750 | +13% above national |
| 60 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $76,510 | +12% above national |
| 61 | Tulsa, OK | $76,400 | +12% above national |
| 62 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $76,140 | +12% above national |
| 63 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $76,010 | +12% above national |
| 64 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $75,760 | +11% above national |
| 65 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $75,500 | +11% above national |
| 66 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $75,360 | +11% above national |
| 67 | Odessa, TX | $75,310 | +11% above national |
| 68 | Duluth, MN-WI | $75,230 | +11% above national |
| 69 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $74,700 | +10% above national |
| 70 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $74,650 | +10% above national |
| 71 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $74,210 | +9% above national |
| 72 | Corpus Christi, TX | $74,200 | +9% above national |
| 73 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $74,130 | +9% above national |
| 74 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $74,040 | +9% above national |
| 75 | Green Bay, WI | $73,780 | +8% above national |
| 76 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $73,710 | +8% above national |
| 77 | Rocky Mount, NC | $73,420 | +8% above national |
| 78 | Greeley, CO | $73,340 | +8% above national |
| 79 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $73,050 | +7% above national |
| 80 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $73,010 | +7% above national |
| 81 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $72,930 | +7% above national |
| 82 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $72,880 | +7% above national |
| 83 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $72,800 | +7% above national |
| 84 | Savannah, GA | $72,660 | +7% above national |
| 85 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $72,580 | +7% above national |
| 86 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $72,520 | +7% above national |
| 87 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $72,420 | +6% above national |
| 88 | Lancaster, PA | $72,150 | +6% above national |
| 89 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $72,070 | +6% above national |
| 90 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $72,020 | +6% above national |
| 91 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $72,010 | +6% above national |
| 92 | Ogden, UT | $71,950 | +6% above national |
| 93 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $71,770 | +5% above national |
| 94 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $71,480 | +5% above national |
| 95 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $71,400 | +5% above national |
| 96 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $70,890 | +4% above national |
| 97 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $70,880 | +4% above national |
| 98 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $70,870 | +4% above national |
| 99 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $70,840 | +4% above national |
| 100 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $70,720 | +4% above national |
| 101 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $69,570 | +2% above national |
| 102 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $69,270 | +2% above national |
| 103 | Omaha, NE-IA | $68,880 | +1% above national |
| 104 | Wilmington, NC | $68,670 | +1% above national |
| 105 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $68,640 | +1% above national |
| 106 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $68,460 | +1% above national |
| 107 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $68,380 | same as national |
| 108 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $68,380 | same as national |
| 109 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $68,200 | same as national |
| 110 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $67,680 | 1% below national |
| 111 | Winston-Salem, NC | $67,280 | 1% below national |
| 112 | Columbus, OH | $66,710 | 2% below national |
| 113 | Baton Rouge, LA | $66,680 | 2% below national |
| 114 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $66,390 | 2% below national |
| 115 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $66,320 | 3% below national |
| 116 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $66,310 | 3% below national |
| 117 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $66,100 | 3% below national |
| 118 | Columbia, SC | $65,870 | 3% below national |
| 119 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $65,750 | 3% below national |
| 120 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $65,660 | 4% below national |
| 121 | Mobile, AL | $65,510 | 4% below national |
| 122 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $65,490 | 4% below national |
| 123 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $64,840 | 5% below national |
| 124 | Tucson, AZ | $64,750 | 5% below national |
| 125 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $64,730 | 5% below national |
| 126 | Akron, OH | $64,650 | 5% below national |
| 127 | Jacksonville, FL | $64,600 | 5% below national |
| 128 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $64,520 | 5% below national |
| 129 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,500 | 5% below national |
| 130 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $64,480 | 5% below national |
| 131 | Evansville, IN | $64,100 | 6% below national |
| 132 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $63,960 | 6% below national |
| 133 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $63,780 | 6% below national |
| 134 | York-Hanover, PA | $63,680 | 6% below national |
| 135 | Jackson, MS | $63,610 | 7% below national |
| 136 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $63,540 | 7% below national |
| 137 | Winchester, VA-WV | $63,480 | 7% below national |
| 138 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,300 | 7% below national |
| 139 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $63,240 | 7% below national |
| 140 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $63,190 | 7% below national |
| 141 | Paducah, KY-IL | $63,070 | 7% below national |
| 142 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $62,910 | 8% below national |
| 143 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $62,650 | 8% below national |
| 144 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $62,400 | 8% below national |
| 145 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $62,400 | 8% below national |
| 146 | El Paso, TX | $62,280 | 9% below national |
| 147 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $61,830 | 9% below national |
| 148 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,510 | 10% below national |
| 149 | Waco, TX | $61,350 | 10% below national |
| 150 | Richmond, VA | $61,180 | 10% below national |
| 151 | Tallahassee, FL | $61,040 | 10% below national |
| 152 | Longview, TX | $60,830 | 11% below national |
| 153 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $60,580 | 11% below national |
| 154 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $60,520 | 11% below national |
| 155 | Boise City, ID | $60,440 | 11% below national |
| 156 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $60,110 | 12% below national |
| 157 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60,010 | 12% below national |
| 158 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $59,740 | 12% below national |
| 159 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $59,430 | 13% below national |
| 160 | Jackson, TN | $59,410 | 13% below national |
| 161 | Oklahoma City, OK | $59,110 | 13% below national |
| 162 | Lafayette, LA | $58,780 | 14% below national |
| 163 | Knoxville, TN | $58,670 | 14% below national |
| 164 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $58,610 | 14% below national |
| 165 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $58,370 | 14% below national |
| 166 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $58,020 | 15% below national |
| 167 | St. Cloud, MN | $57,680 | 15% below national |
| 168 | Cleveland, OH | $57,620 | 15% below national |
| 169 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $57,230 | 16% below national |
| 170 | Toledo, OH | $57,020 | 16% below national |
| 171 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $56,780 | 17% below national |
| 172 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $56,570 | 17% below national |
| 173 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $56,300 | 17% below national |
| 174 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $56,070 | 18% below national |
| 175 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $56,010 | 18% below national |
| 176 | Tyler, TX | $55,930 | 18% below national |
| 177 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $55,890 | 18% below national |
| 178 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $55,810 | 18% below national |
| 179 | Monroe, LA | $55,770 | 18% below national |
| 180 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $55,590 | 18% below national |
| 181 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $55,330 | 19% below national |
| 182 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $55,080 | 19% below national |
| 183 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $55,000 | 19% below national |
| 184 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $54,830 | 19% below national |
| 185 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $54,560 | 20% below national |
| 186 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $54,300 | 20% below national |
| 187 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $54,080 | 21% below national |
| 188 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $54,060 | 21% below national |
| 189 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $53,600 | 21% below national |
| 190 | Roanoke, VA | $52,540 | 23% below national |
| 191 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $51,450 | 24% below national |
| 192 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $50,550 | 26% below national |
| 193 | Dubuque, IA | $49,720 | 27% below national |
| 194 | Monroe, MI | $49,480 | 27% below national |
| 195 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $49,440 | 27% below national |
| 196 | Rockford, IL | $49,400 | 27% below national |
| 197 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $48,940 | 28% below national |
| 198 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $48,920 | 28% below national |
| 199 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $48,870 | 28% below national |
| 200 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $48,520 | 29% below national |
| 201 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,460 | 29% below national |
| 202 | Florence, SC | $48,100 | 29% below national |
| 203 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $48,060 | 29% below national |
| 204 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $47,920 | 30% below national |
| 205 | Birmingham, AL | $47,620 | 30% below national |
| 206 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $47,330 | 30% below national |
| 207 | Spartanburg, SC | $47,200 | 31% below national |
| 208 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $47,150 | 31% below national |
| 209 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,970 | 31% below national |
| 210 | Bangor, ME | $46,540 | 32% below national |
| 211 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $46,430 | 32% below national |
| 212 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,320 | 32% below national |
| 213 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $46,310 | 32% below national |
| 214 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $46,170 | 32% below national |
| 215 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,060 | 32% below national |
| 216 | San Angelo, TX | $45,950 | 33% below national |
| 217 | Decatur, AL | $45,640 | 33% below national |
| 218 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $45,280 | 33% below national |
| 219 | Montgomery, AL | $44,480 | 35% below national |
| 220 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $44,330 | 35% below national |
| 221 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $43,880 | 36% below national |
| 222 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $42,380 | 38% below national |
| 223 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $41,970 | 38% below national |
| 224 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $39,560 | 42% below national |
| 225 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $38,690 | 43% below national |
| 226 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $37,010 | 46% below national |
| 227 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $36,650 | 46% below national |
| 228 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $35,870 | 47% below national |
| 229 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $35,450 | 48% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Crane and Tower Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $83,200/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Hawaii leads at $124,260/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.