Average Salary for Crane and Tower Operators
SOC 53-7021 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in the United States is $66,370 ($31.91/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $41,670 at the 10th percentile to $102,400 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 42,000 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 30.9% since 2014.
Median Annual
$66,370
Mean Annual
$71,560
10th Pct
$41,670
75th Pct
$81,630
Employment
42,000
Salary Distribution
$42k
10th
$51k
25th
$66k
Median
$82k
75th
$102k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | $133,820 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $132,560 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $118,720 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $115,860 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $113,700 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $110,280 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $106,010 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $104,480 |
| New Haven, CT | $104,380 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $102,260 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $101,980 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $94,370 |
| Syracuse, NY | $91,590 |
| Columbus, OH | $90,090 |
| Reno, NV | $87,360 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $129,930 |
| Hawaii | $115,870 |
| Oregon | $110,280 |
| New York | $110,000 |
| District of Columbia | $106,150 |
| Washington | $96,870 |
| Montana | $91,520 |
| New Jersey | $88,470 |
| Connecticut | $86,830 |
| Alaska | $80,900 |
| Michigan | $77,110 |
| Massachusetts | $76,640 |
| Wyoming | $76,110 |
| North Dakota | $74,880 |
| Colorado | $74,140 |
| Vermont | $73,840 |
| Idaho | $73,480 |
| Texas | $72,870 |
| Oklahoma | $71,500 |
| South Dakota | $70,400 |
| Florida | $70,130 |
| California | $69,970 |
| Utah | $69,020 |
| Wisconsin | $68,310 |
| Arizona | $67,960 |
| Minnesota | $67,320 |
| Georgia | $67,230 |
| Nebraska | $66,800 |
| Maryland | $66,800 |
| Virginia | $65,400 |
| Kansas | $64,430 |
| New Hampshire | $63,410 |
| Delaware | $62,820 |
| Mississippi | $62,510 |
| Ohio | $62,460 |
| North Carolina | $62,060 |
| Maine | $61,320 |
| Louisiana | $61,130 |
| New Mexico | $60,950 |
| Guam | $59,680 |
| Indiana | $57,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,760 |
| Tennessee | $56,530 |
| Iowa | $55,620 |
| South Carolina | $55,410 |
| Kentucky | $55,100 |
| West Virginia | $54,650 |
| Illinois | $53,240 |
| Alabama | $47,620 |
| Missouri | $46,580 |
| Arkansas | $42,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,620 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Crane and Tower Operators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Natural Gas Distribution | $135,480 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $107,120 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $107,120 |
| Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | $106,150 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $94,430 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $94,430 |
| Utilities | $93,600 |
| Utilities | $93,600 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $93,050 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $90,790 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $86,690 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors | $86,270 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $85,170 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $83,760 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $83,760 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $83,670 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $83,670 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $83,200 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | $83,200 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $80,930 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $80,930 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $80,930 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $80,360 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $79,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,750 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,750 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $78,100 |
| Construction | $78,090 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $78,050 |
| Utility System Construction | $77,790 |
| Facilities Support Services | $77,260 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $77,110 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $77,110 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $77,110 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,080 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $77,080 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $77,000 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $76,910 |
| Construction of Buildings | $76,790 |
| Residential Building Construction | $75,980 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $75,520 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $74,950 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $74,880 |
| Truck Transportation | $73,840 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $72,350 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $72,350 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $71,500 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $71,440 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $71,350 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $71,350 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $70,310 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $70,310 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | $69,810 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $68,630 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $66,190 |
| Roofing Contractors | $64,980 |
| Rail Transportation | $64,780 |
| Rail Transportation | $64,780 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $64,250 |
| Ship and Boat Building | $64,000 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $63,750 |
| Inland Water Transportation | $62,930 |
| Water Transportation | $62,930 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | $62,830 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $62,670 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | $62,440 |
| Landscaping Services | $62,400 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $62,400 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $62,250 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | $62,180 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $61,780 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $60,400 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation | $59,880 |
| Machine Shops | $59,680 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $59,680 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $58,660 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $58,450 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation | $55,220 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $54,310 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $54,090 |
| Foundries | $53,970 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | $53,740 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $53,740 |
| Retail Trade | $53,300 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $53,010 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $51,140 |
| Manufacturing | $50,930 |
| Food Manufacturing | $50,370 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $50,280 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | $50,050 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $50,030 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $50,030 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $49,910 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $49,830 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $49,050 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | $48,950 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $48,380 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $48,170 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $48,170 |
| Masonry Contractors | $46,900 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $46,590 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $46,480 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $46,410 |
| Wholesale Trade | $46,330 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $46,310 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $46,310 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $45,900 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $45,810 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $45,740 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | $45,710 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $45,520 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $44,780 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $43,840 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $43,840 |
| Employment Services | $43,540 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $43,080 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $43,080 |
| Waste Collection | $42,940 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $41,910 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $41,240 |
| Temporary Help Services | $41,170 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $66,370 |
| 2023 | $64,690 |
| 2022 | $61,340 |
| 2021 | $62,240 |
| 2020 | $59,710 |
| 2019 | $56,690 |
| 2018 | $54,140 |
| 2017 | $52,200 |
| 2016 | $52,170 |
| 2015 | $51,650 |
| 2014 | $50,720 |