Crane and Tower Operators Salary in U.S.
SOC 53-7021 · National · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Crane and Tower Operators in U.S. is $66,370 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $31.91 per hour. 42,000 people work as Crane and Tower Operators in U.S.. Wages have grown 17% since 2019, when the median was $56,690.
Median Annual Salary
$66,370
Mean Annual
$71,560
Median Hourly
$31.91
Total Employed
42,000
Salary Distribution
$42k
10th
$51k
25th
$66k
Median
$82k
75th
$102k
90th
Salary by Industry
| 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 |
Salary 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 |
Related Transportation and Material Moving Occupations Jobs in U.S.
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $226,600 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $144,580 |
| Commercial Pilots | $122,670 |
| Ship Engineers | $101,320 |
| Transportation Inspectors | $85,750 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $85,540 |