Crane and Tower Operators
Crane and Tower Operators (SOC 53-7021) earn a median $68,080 a year ($32.73 an hour) in the United States, with 42,890 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What crane and tower operators do
Crane and tower operators control the cranes that lift and move heavy loads in many directions, working mechanical boom-and-cable and tower-and-cable equipment, along with cherry pickers and electromagnets. Before lifting, the operator learns the weight of the load and compares it with the crane's rated capacity so as not to overload it. Using levers, foot pedals, and dials, they raise, swing, and place loads. Operators direct helpers who place blocking or outriggers under mobile cranes, inspect cables and grappling devices for wear, and replace them when needed. They clean and lubricate pulleys and cables and make routine repairs. They also load or unload bundles from trucks, move containers to storage bins, and review daily work or delivery schedules for sequences and special loading instructions. The occupation is distinct from hoist and winch operators, who lift and pull loads with power-operated cable equipment and are classed separately.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a postsecondary certificate.
Also called: Acid Crane Operator, Boom Cat Operator, Boom Crane Operator, Boomswing Operator, Bottom Crane Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.50 | $25.29 | $32.73 | $40.00 | $49.79 | $34.68 | 42,890 |
| Annual | $42,640 | $52,600 | $68,080 | $83,200 | $103,570 | $72,130 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where crane and tower operators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $46.46 | $56.80 | $59.74 | $61.45 | $63.09 | $57.36 | 190 | 0.30 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $96,640 | $118,140 | $124,260 | $127,820 | $131,220 | $119,300 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $29.55 | $48.21 | $55.69 | $64.90 | $64.91 | $52.12 | 380 | 0.24 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $61,460 | $100,280 | $115,840 | $135,000 | $135,000 | $108,410 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $32.43 | $36.83 | $50.16 | $61.16 | $63.76 | $47.93 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $67,460 | $76,610 | $104,340 | $127,210 | $132,610 | $99,690 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $30.38 | $38.05 | $48.61 | $59.87 | $64.21 | $48.85 | 1,030 | 0.29 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $63,180 | $79,150 | $101,110 | $124,520 | $133,550 | $101,600 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $31.49 | $43.28 | $48.39 | $59.95 | $62.29 | $49.22 | 1,000 | 0.23 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $65,510 | $90,020 | $100,640 | $124,700 | $129,570 | $102,380 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $20.57 | $27.41 | $35.23 | $38.40 | $44.90 | $33.49 | 6,010 | 0.43 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $42,790 | $57,020 | $73,280 | $79,880 | $93,390 | $69,650 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $23.00 | $28.34 | $34.40 | $39.00 | $45.27 | $34.36 | 2,570 | 0.26 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $47,840 | $58,950 | $71,560 | $81,120 | $94,170 | $71,460 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $18.67 | $19.45 | $25.46 | $31.76 | $42.13 | $27.56 | 2,300 | 0.72 | 2.60 |
| Annual | $38,830 | $40,450 | $52,950 | $66,070 | $87,640 | $57,330 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.30 | $32.03 | $38.25 | $48.49 | $65.30 | $41.84 | 2,130 | 0.12 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $50,550 | $66,620 | $79,570 | $100,860 | $135,820 | $87,030 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $21.81 | $25.05 | $29.41 | $36.51 | $39.72 | $30.47 | 1,930 | 1.00 | 3.61 |
| Annual | $45,370 | $52,100 | $61,170 | $75,940 | $82,620 | $63,380 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $33.83 | $50.04 | $63.31 | $64.91 | $64.91 | $55.43 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $70,370 | $104,070 | $131,690 | $135,000 | $135,000 | $115,300 | ||||
| Worcester, MA | Hourly | $34.25 | $44.45 | $58.78 | $58.78 | $67.82 | $52.63 | 110 | 0.32 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $71,240 | $92,450 | $122,260 | $122,260 | $141,070 | $109,460 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $46.46 | $56.80 | $57.96 | $61.45 | $63.68 | $56.99 | 170 | 0.38 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $96,640 | $118,140 | $120,560 | $127,820 | $132,450 | $118,530 | ||||
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | Hourly | $37.50 | $52.02 | $57.84 | $60.47 | $61.87 | $53.71 | 40 | 0.32 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $78,000 | $108,200 | $120,310 | $125,780 | $128,690 | $111,710 | ||||
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | Hourly | $39.53 | $39.53 | $56.17 | $62.15 | $62.15 | $52.19 | 70 | 1.30 | 4.69 |
| Annual | $82,230 | $82,230 | $116,840 | $129,270 | $129,270 | $108,550 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.59 | $26.45 | $36.30 | $39.07 | $47.62 | $34.05 | 2,100 | 0.64 | 2.31 |
| Annual | $38,680 | $55,010 | $75,500 | $81,270 | $99,050 | $70,810 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $19.37 | $19.93 | $26.87 | $32.42 | $51.81 | $30.08 | 1,880 | 0.42 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $40,290 | $41,460 | $55,890 | $67,440 | $107,760 | $62,560 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $32.32 | $41.27 | $48.38 | $61.61 | $71.55 | $56.11 | 1,500 | 0.16 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $67,220 | $85,850 | $100,640 | $128,150 | $148,820 | $116,710 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.26 | $25.68 | $33.00 | $38.31 | $44.20 | $33.47 | 1,310 | 0.32 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $46,290 | $53,410 | $68,640 | $79,670 | $91,940 | $69,630 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $25.94 | $28.92 | $34.62 | $45.36 | $59.72 | $37.68 | 790 | 0.27 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $53,940 | $60,160 | $72,010 | $94,350 | $124,230 | $78,380 | ||||
Top industries employing crane and tower operators
Other Specialty Trade Contractors employ 23.2% of crane and tower operators nationally (9,950 jobs) at a median $79,790 a year ($38.36 an hour), followed by Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) (9.5%) and Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing (6.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 9,950 | 23.2% | $79,790 | $38.36 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 4,090 | 9.5% | $48,100 | $23.13 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing NAICS 331100 | 2,560 | 6.0% | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation NAICS 488300 | 2,190 | 5.1% | $66,730 | $32.08 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) NAICS 5320A1 | 1,760 | 4.1% | $113,900 | $54.76 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (42,890). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $62,240 for crane and tower operators in May 2021 and $68,080 in May 2025, with employment of 43,400 and 42,890.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $62,240 | $29.92 | 43,400 |
| May 2022 | $61,340 | $29.49 | 45,210 |
| May 2023 | $64,690 | $31.10 | 42,260 |
| May 2024 | $66,370 | $31.91 | 42,000 |
| May 2025 | $68,080 | $32.73 | 42,890 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii profile | $59.74 | $124,260 | $96,640 | $131,220 | 190 | 0.30 | 1.10 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $55.69 | $115,840 | $61,460 | $135,000 | 380 | 0.24 | 0.89 |
| 3 | Rhode Island profile | $50.16 | $104,340 | $67,460 | $132,610 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Washington profile | $48.61 | $101,110 | $63,180 | $133,550 | 1,030 | 0.29 | 1.05 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $48.39 | $100,640 | $65,510 | $129,570 | 1,000 | 0.23 | 0.84 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $47.19 | $98,150 | $59,860 | $129,790 | 680 | 0.19 | 0.68 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | $44.47 | $92,490 | $81,060 | $116,480 | 50 | 0.16 | 0.58 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $42.28 | $87,950 | $61,450 | $94,700 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | New York profile | $41.27 | $85,850 | $49,460 | $216,500 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 0.43 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $40.03 | $83,260 | $49,780 | $132,400 | 340 | 0.17 | 0.63 |
| 11 | North Dakota profile | $39.85 | $82,890 | $50,200 | $96,790 | 180 | 0.41 | 1.49 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $39.81 | $82,800 | $51,970 | $101,860 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.25 |
| 13 | Connecticut profile | $39.12 | $81,360 | $52,000 | $106,980 | 220 | 0.13 | 0.46 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $38.91 | $80,930 | $52,590 | $116,890 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
| 15 | California profile | $38.25 | $79,570 | $50,550 | $135,820 | 2,130 | 0.12 | 0.42 |
| 16 | Wyoming profile | $37.49 | $77,970 | $63,650 | $94,580 | 230 | 0.83 | 3.01 |
| 17 | Colorado profile | $37.08 | $77,120 | $57,800 | $97,470 | 470 | 0.16 | 0.59 |
| 18 | Kansas profile | $37.07 | $77,100 | $49,840 | $99,500 | 780 | 0.54 | 1.96 |
| 19 | Texas profile | $35.23 | $73,280 | $42,790 | $93,390 | 6,010 | 0.43 | 1.55 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $34.98 | $72,760 | $61,070 | $105,910 | 170 | 0.57 | 2.05 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $34.40 | $71,560 | $47,840 | $94,170 | 2,570 | 0.26 | 0.94 |
| 22 | South Dakota profile | $34.13 | $71,000 | $58,370 | $93,600 | 120 | 0.26 | 0.95 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $32.56 | $67,720 | $48,980 | $104,420 | 440 | 0.15 | 0.54 |
| 24 | Iowa profile | $32.50 | $67,600 | $47,480 | $83,650 | 650 | 0.42 | 1.52 |
| 25 | Utah profile | $32.41 | $67,410 | $35,880 | $97,140 | 440 | 0.25 | 0.91 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $32.38 | $67,350 | $50,930 | $87,990 | 930 | 0.29 | 1.04 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $32.02 | $66,600 | $42,720 | $88,480 | 1,120 | 0.27 | 0.99 |
| 28 | Maine profile | $31.58 | $65,690 | $45,310 | $90,730 | 360 | 0.56 | 2.03 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.34 | $65,190 | $44,320 | $106,380 | 1,630 | 0.27 | 0.97 |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | $31.00 | $64,480 | $46,530 | $82,730 | 1,050 | 0.21 | 0.77 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $30.83 | $64,120 | $45,420 | $89,440 | 720 | 0.31 | 1.13 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $30.57 | $63,590 | $46,300 | $82,500 | 620 | 0.36 | 1.31 |
| 33 | New Hampshire profile | $30.44 | $63,310 | $48,830 | $88,630 | 170 | 0.25 | 0.91 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $45,180 | $81,830 | 290 | 0.34 | 1.23 |
| 35 | Georgia profile | $29.83 | $62,050 | $41,700 | $76,860 | 1,370 | 0.28 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $29.81 | $62,000 | $40,810 | $89,660 | 640 | 0.32 | 1.17 |
| 37 | Illinois profile | $29.72 | $61,820 | $41,470 | $131,280 | 1,220 | 0.20 | 0.73 |
| 38 | Mississippi profile | $29.45 | $61,260 | $34,690 | $73,840 | 550 | 0.47 | 1.72 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $29.41 | $61,170 | $45,370 | $82,620 | 1,930 | 1.00 | 3.61 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $29.22 | $60,790 | $37,650 | $99,380 | 1,280 | 0.61 | 2.19 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $29.19 | $60,720 | $36,140 | $82,410 | 410 | 0.40 | 1.44 |
| 42 | Delaware profile | $28.92 | $60,160 | $53,940 | $77,730 | 220 | 0.45 | 1.63 |
| 43 | Michigan profile | $28.72 | $59,740 | $44,510 | $99,090 | 1,310 | 0.30 | 1.08 |
| 44 | Tennessee profile | $28.56 | $59,410 | $40,890 | $84,090 | 660 | 0.20 | 0.73 |
| 45 | Missouri profile | $28.10 | $58,450 | $40,680 | $95,580 | 630 | 0.21 | 0.77 |
| 46 | Ohio profile | $27.70 | $57,620 | $41,910 | $98,530 | 1,780 | 0.32 | 1.16 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $26.36 | $54,830 | $36,260 | $72,090 | 170 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| 48 | Indiana profile | $25.46 | $52,950 | $38,830 | $87,640 | 2,300 | 0.72 | 2.60 |
| 49 | Idaho profile | $25.37 | $52,770 | $46,970 | $104,240 | ** | ** | ** |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $35,920 | $64,100 | 880 | 0.68 | 2.45 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7021 Crane and Tower Operators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.