Hoist and Winch Operators
Hoist and Winch Operators (SOC 53-7041) earn a median $56,450 a year ($27.14 an hour) in the United States, with 2,600 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Illinois.
What hoist and winch operators do
Hoist and winch operators run power-driven cable equipment to lift, lower, or pull loads. The machines may be driven by electricity, diesel, gasoline, compressed air, or steam. The operator starts the engine and works levers, pedals, and throttles to wind cable onto or off a drum, controlling speed and stopping in response to hand, bell, buzzer, whistle, telephone, or loudspeaker signals, or by watching dial indicators and marks on the cable. The equipment can control cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips. Operators check gauges and watch other workers' hand signals to confirm where a load or cage is, and they select loads according to weight and size. They signal and assist other workers who are loading or unloading, attach and disconnect cables or lines to loads with hand tools, and may also reposition hoists and winches with trucks or hand equipment. The code excludes crane and tower operators, whose machines lift with booms and move loads in many directions.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Air Hoist Operator, Air Lift Operator, Boat Hoist Operator, Boat Loader, Boat Puller.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.13 | $20.53 | $27.14 | $45.36 | $56.83 | $32.55 | 2,600 |
| Annual | $35,640 | $42,690 | $56,450 | $94,350 | $118,210 | $67,710 | ||
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 hoist and winch 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 | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $54.91 | 320 | 0.05 | 3.10 |
| Annual | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $114,220 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $38.94 | $51.49 | $51.49 | $61.06 | $61.51 | $52.80 | 120 | 0.19 | 11.17 |
| Annual | $80,990 | $107,100 | $107,100 | $127,010 | $127,940 | $109,810 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $38.25 | $42.19 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $44.12 | 140 | 0.05 | 3.03 |
| Annual | $79,550 | $87,750 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $91,780 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.54 | $32.14 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $33.82 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $51,040 | $66,860 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $70,340 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.05 | $21.05 | $36.05 | $45.30 | $49.63 | $34.63 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $41,690 | $43,780 | $74,980 | $94,220 | $103,220 | $72,030 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $54.91 | 320 | 0.05 | 3.10 |
| Annual | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $114,220 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.07 | 4.01 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $38.25 | $42.19 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $44.12 | 140 | 0.05 | 3.03 |
| Annual | $79,550 | $87,750 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $91,780 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.49 | $13.93 | $16.14 | $26.09 | $35.64 | $22.29 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $28,070 | $28,980 | $33,570 | $54,270 | $74,130 | $46,370 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $38.94 | $51.49 | $51.49 | $61.06 | $61.51 | $52.80 | 120 | 0.19 | 11.17 |
| Annual | $80,990 | $107,100 | $107,100 | $127,010 | $127,940 | $109,810 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.16 | 300 | 0.07 | 4.00 |
| Annual | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $116,800 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $38.26 | $42.19 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $44.71 | 130 | 0.10 | 5.85 |
| Annual | $79,570 | $87,750 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $92,990 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $24.54 | $32.14 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $34.45 | 60 | 0.03 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $51,040 | $66,860 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $71,660 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.34 | $27.17 | $35.98 | $65.17 | $65.17 | $42.04 | 160 | 0.07 | 4.45 |
| Annual | $48,540 | $56,520 | $74,840 | $135,540 | $135,550 | $87,440 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $29.93 | $29.93 | $30.96 | $52.62 | $52.62 | $37.10 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $62,240 | $62,240 | $64,390 | $109,440 | $109,440 | $77,160 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.83 | $56.16 | 300 | 0.07 | 4.00 |
| Annual | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $116,800 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.34 | $27.17 | $35.98 | $65.17 | $65.17 | $42.04 | 160 | 0.07 | 4.45 |
| Annual | $48,540 | $56,520 | $74,840 | $135,540 | $135,550 | $87,440 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $38.26 | $42.19 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $48.00 | $44.71 | 130 | 0.10 | 5.85 |
| Annual | $79,570 | $87,750 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $99,840 | $92,990 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $15.36 | $18.21 | $22.26 | $25.36 | $25.36 | $21.51 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $31,960 | $37,870 | $46,310 | $52,760 | $52,760 | $44,730 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $24.54 | $32.14 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $37.69 | $34.45 | 60 | 0.03 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $51,040 | $66,860 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $78,400 | $71,660 | ||||
Top industries employing hoist and winch operators
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) employ 8.1% of hoist and winch operators nationally (210 jobs) at a median $46,560 a year ($22.38 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Water Transportation (6.9%) and Sawmills and Wood Preservation (6.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 210 | 8.1% | $46,560 | $22.38 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation NAICS 488300 | 180 | 6.9% | $95,000 | $45.67 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation NAICS 321100 | 170 | 6.5% | $37,490 | $18.03 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 150 | 5.8% | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation NAICS 483100 | 130 | 5.0% | $107,100 | $51.49 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (2,600). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $52,300 for hoist and winch operators in May 2021 and $56,450 in May 2025, with employment of 2,610 and 2,600.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $52,300 | $25.14 | 2,610 |
| May 2022 | $58,950 | $28.34 | 2,440 |
| May 2023 | $55,950 | $26.90 | 2,230 |
| May 2024 | $52,310 | $25.15 | 2,480 |
| May 2025 | $56,450 | $27.14 | 2,600 |
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
17 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 | Illinois profile | $56.83 | $118,210 | $118,210 | $118,210 | 320 | 0.05 | 3.10 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $51.49 | $107,100 | $80,990 | $127,940 | 120 | 0.19 | 11.17 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $48.00 | $99,840 | $79,550 | $99,840 | 140 | 0.05 | 3.03 |
| 4 | Minnesota profile | $37.69 | $78,400 | $51,040 | $78,400 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.22 |
| 5 | New York profile | $36.05 | $74,980 | $41,690 | $103,220 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $29.93 | $62,240 | $57,000 | $109,440 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $26.86 | $55,880 | $40,130 | $72,660 | 70 | 0.04 | 2.22 |
| 8 | Missouri profile | $22.84 | $47,510 | $46,160 | $56,450 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.89 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $20.67 | $43,000 | $38,050 | $43,890 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Michigan profile | $19.27 | $40,070 | $32,010 | $56,290 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.62 |
| 11 | Tennessee profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $30,940 | $52,630 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.70 |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $19.11 | $39,750 | $37,620 | $66,940 | 120 | 0.04 | 2.27 |
| 13 | Georgia profile | $18.21 | $37,870 | $31,960 | $52,760 | 90 | 0.02 | 1.08 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $17.80 | $37,020 | $29,550 | $45,970 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $17.58 | $36,560 | $34,720 | $41,690 | 80 | 0.03 | 1.54 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $16.14 | $33,570 | $28,070 | $74,130 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.75 |
| – | Washington profile | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.07 | 4.01 |
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 53-7041 Hoist and Winch Operators.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- 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 53-7041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7041.00, 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.