53 Series · SOC 53-7041
Hoist and Winch 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).
- $56,450
- Median / year
- $118,210
- Top 10% earn
- -1.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 2,600
- US workers
Hoist and Winch Operators earn a median of $56,450 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $56,450, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,640 (10th percentile) to $118,210 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 2,600 US workers. Illinois pays the most ($118,210), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Hoist and Winch Operators earn a median of $56,450, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 42% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #25 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 1.1% by 2033.
- $56,450
- Median annual wage
- Top 58%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #25 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 3.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Illinois at $118,210. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Hoist and Winch Operators (SOC 53-7041) pays a national median of $56,450 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $35,640 at the 10th percentile to $118,210 at the 90th, with a mean of $67,710 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 2,600 Americans work in this occupation across 17 reporting states and 9 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and short-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. Illinois pays the highest state median at $118,210, which is +109% above the national figure. The top metro is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $118,210 - 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
$56,450
per year
Median Hourly
$27.14/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$67,710
average
Employment
2,600
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Hoist and Winch Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$56,450 Bottom 42% higher than 42% 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 Hoist and Winch Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Hoist and Winch Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -1.1% growth and $56,450 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-1.1%
Declining
Annual Openings
300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-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 Hoist and Winch Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
- ▸ Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
- ▸ Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
- ▸ Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
- ▸ Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
- ▸ Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.
- ▸ Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
- ▸ Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks.
- ▸ Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
- ▸ Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools.
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
$35,640
25th Percentile
$42,690
Median
$56,450
75th Percentile
$94,350
90th Percentile
$118,210
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 17 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $118,210 | +109% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $107,100 | +90% above national |
| 3 | Maryland | $99,840 | +77% above national |
| 4 | Minnesota | $78,400 | +39% above national |
| 5 | New York | $74,980 | +33% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $62,240 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,880 | 1% below national |
| 8 | Missouri | $47,510 | 16% below national |
| 9 | Ohio | $43,000 | 24% below national |
| 10 | Michigan | $40,070 | 29% below national |
| 11 | Tennessee | $39,930 | 29% below national |
| 12 | Indiana | $39,750 | 30% below national |
| 13 | Georgia | $37,870 | 33% below national |
| 14 | Virginia | $37,020 | 34% below national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $36,560 | 35% below national |
| 16 | Florida | $33,570 | 41% below national |
| 17 | Puerto Rico | $21,890 | 61% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 9 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $118,210 | +109% above national |
| 2 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $99,840 | +77% above national |
| 3 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $78,400 | +39% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $74,840 | +33% above national |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $64,390 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,810 | 15% below national |
| 7 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,310 | 18% below national |
| 8 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $35,410 | 37% below national |
| 9 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $29,120 | 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 Hoist and Winch Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $94,350/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: Illinois leads at $118,210/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.