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 2023 to 2033, 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.