Riggers
Riggers (SOC 49-9096) earn a median $62,640 a year ($30.12 an hour) in the United States, with 22,530 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What riggers do
Riggers put up or repair rigging on construction projects, in manufacturing plants and logging yards, on ships and in shipyards, or in the entertainment industry. They choose gear such as cables, pulleys and winches to suit the weight and size of the load, the facility and the work schedule, and hitch loads to the rigging, with hand and power tools, so they are supported or ready to move. They work rigging lines, hoists and pulling gear to move or hold up loads such as heavy equipment, ships or theatrical sets, and signal or verbally direct the workers engaged in hoisting and moving loads to keep workers and materials safe. Suspended loads are tilted, dipped and turned with multi-point suspension techniques to maneuver over, under or around obstacles, and heavy equipment is moved through narrow openings or confined spaces with chainfalls, gin poles, gallows frames and other equipment. Rigging is tested to ensure safety and reliability, and dismantled and stored after use. Titles include crane rigger, heavy lift rigger, fly rail operator and grip.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or the equivalent as the education needed.
Also called: Acrobatic Rigger, Boat Rigger, Certified Rigger, Crane Rigger, Fly Rail Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.56 | $23.18 | $30.12 | $38.55 | $47.04 | $32.12 | 22,530 |
| Annual | $40,680 | $48,210 | $62,640 | $80,180 | $97,850 | $66,810 | ||
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 riggers 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 | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.89 | $36.75 | $50.77 | $59.24 | $62.39 | $49.73 | 650 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $47,610 | $76,440 | $105,600 | $123,210 | $129,780 | $103,440 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $22.27 | $31.79 | $45.42 | $61.07 | $61.87 | $45.34 | 290 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $46,320 | $66,130 | $94,470 | $127,020 | $128,690 | $94,300 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $35.01 | $40.18 | $45.02 | $47.04 | $47.04 | $42.90 | 490 | 0.28 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $72,810 | $83,560 | $93,640 | $97,850 | $97,850 | $89,230 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $22.67 | $31.30 | $43.95 | $45.93 | $46.83 | $37.73 | 230 | 0.09 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $47,160 | $65,100 | $91,420 | $95,540 | $97,410 | $78,480 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $23.32 | $33.07 | $41.88 | $48.54 | $50.96 | $39.76 | 190 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $48,500 | $68,790 | $87,120 | $100,960 | $106,000 | $82,690 | ||||
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 | $20.17 | $22.03 | $24.99 | $35.87 | $38.99 | $28.11 | 3,770 | 0.27 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $41,960 | $45,820 | $51,980 | $74,610 | $81,110 | $58,460 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.57 | $32.30 | $41.22 | $49.06 | $61.45 | $41.94 | 2,260 | 0.12 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $53,190 | $67,180 | $85,730 | $102,050 | $127,810 | $87,230 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $23.63 | $24.19 | $30.59 | $34.18 | $36.80 | $29.73 | 1,920 | 0.47 | 3.22 |
| Annual | $49,160 | $50,310 | $63,620 | $71,090 | $76,540 | $61,830 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $14.05 | $17.27 | $20.99 | $28.29 | $36.15 | $23.07 | 1,840 | 0.95 | 6.56 |
| Annual | $29,220 | $35,910 | $43,660 | $58,840 | $75,180 | $47,980 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $19.30 | $22.52 | $25.19 | $30.12 | $37.83 | $26.96 | 910 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $40,140 | $46,840 | $52,390 | $62,640 | $78,690 | $56,080 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Fargo, ND-MN | Hourly | $37.83 | $46.26 | $81.48 | $81.48 | $81.48 | $70.06 | 50 | 0.33 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $78,680 | $96,220 | $169,480 | $169,480 | $169,480 | $145,720 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.39 | $37.15 | $49.54 | $55.62 | $62.18 | $48.90 | 620 | 0.07 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $48,640 | $77,280 | $103,030 | $115,690 | $129,330 | $101,710 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $33.43 | $36.58 | $47.04 | $47.04 | $47.04 | $43.26 | 270 | 0.33 | 2.24 |
| Annual | $69,540 | $76,090 | $97,850 | $97,850 | $97,850 | $89,980 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $28.54 | $38.65 | $46.58 | $49.66 | $62.66 | $45.27 | 1,250 | 0.20 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $59,370 | $80,400 | $96,880 | $103,290 | $130,330 | $94,170 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $31.30 | $34.33 | $43.96 | $45.93 | $46.83 | $39.92 | 110 | 0.08 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $65,090 | $71,410 | $91,430 | $95,540 | $97,410 | $83,030 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $23.63 | $24.12 | $30.98 | $34.18 | $36.80 | $29.86 | 1,350 | 1.77 | 12.22 |
| Annual | $49,160 | $50,170 | $64,440 | $71,090 | $76,540 | $62,110 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $28.54 | $38.65 | $46.58 | $49.66 | $62.66 | $45.27 | 1,250 | 0.20 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $59,370 | $80,400 | $96,880 | $103,290 | $130,330 | $94,170 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.26 | $22.89 | $30.98 | $38.63 | $39.79 | $31.35 | 1,140 | 0.35 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $44,230 | $47,620 | $64,430 | $80,340 | $82,760 | $65,200 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $22.29 | $36.26 | $39.49 | $42.00 | $46.12 | $38.16 | 770 | 0.68 | 4.67 |
| Annual | $46,360 | $75,420 | $82,130 | $87,360 | $95,930 | $79,370 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $21.86 | $22.04 | $24.44 | $29.20 | $39.03 | $27.17 | 660 | 0.16 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $45,470 | $45,850 | $50,840 | $60,730 | $81,190 | $56,510 | ||||
Top industries employing riggers
Building Equipment Contractors employ 17.0% of riggers nationally (3,820 jobs) at a median $60,070 a year ($28.88 an hour), followed by Ship and Boat Building (11.2%) and Other Specialty Trade Contractors (10.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 3,820 | 17.0% | $60,070 | $28.88 |
| Ship and Boat Building NAICS 336600 | 2,530 | 11.2% | $60,630 | $29.15 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 2,270 | 10.1% | $61,220 | $29.43 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,670 | 7.4% | $76,460 | $36.76 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 1,530 | 6.8% | $101,540 | $48.82 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (22,530). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,130 for riggers in May 2021 and $62,640 in May 2025, with employment of 17,980 and 22,530.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,130 | $23.14 | 17,980 |
| May 2022 | $54,680 | $26.29 | 19,260 |
| May 2023 | $56,220 | $27.03 | 23,870 |
| May 2024 | $62,060 | $29.84 | 24,190 |
| May 2025 | $62,640 | $30.12 | 22,530 |
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
43 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 | New York profile | $50.77 | $105,600 | $47,610 | $129,780 | 650 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $45.42 | $94,470 | $46,320 | $128,690 | 290 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| 3 | Utah profile | $45.02 | $93,640 | $72,810 | $97,850 | 490 | 0.28 | 1.96 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $43.95 | $91,420 | $47,160 | $97,410 | 230 | 0.09 | 0.58 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $41.88 | $87,120 | $48,500 | $106,000 | 190 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| 6 | California profile | $41.22 | $85,730 | $53,190 | $127,810 | 2,260 | 0.12 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Hawaii profile | $40.58 | $84,410 | $59,820 | $96,350 | 170 | 0.27 | 1.88 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $39.49 | $82,130 | $48,360 | $115,690 | 200 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $39.36 | $81,860 | $60,910 | $85,910 | 120 | 0.02 | 0.14 |
| 10 | Nevada profile | $39.29 | $81,720 | $46,400 | $100,100 | 860 | 0.55 | 3.82 |
| 11 | North Dakota profile | $37.45 | $77,890 | $65,210 | $169,480 | 140 | 0.32 | 2.17 |
| 12 | Washington profile | $37.07 | $77,100 | $58,120 | $105,100 | 910 | 0.26 | 1.77 |
| 13 | Colorado profile | $35.44 | $73,720 | $53,290 | $98,510 | 310 | 0.11 | 0.75 |
| 14 | Idaho profile | $35.03 | $72,850 | $49,210 | $105,560 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.47 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | $32.48 | $67,560 | $50,870 | $81,780 | 350 | 0.21 | 1.44 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $32.31 | $67,200 | $46,300 | $96,150 | 700 | 0.14 | 0.99 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $31.21 | $64,910 | $54,180 | $81,990 | 330 | 0.52 | 3.60 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $30.89 | $64,260 | $50,160 | $81,540 | 160 | 0.31 | 2.17 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $30.59 | $63,620 | $49,160 | $76,540 | 1,920 | 0.47 | 3.22 |
| 20 | Mississippi profile | $30.48 | $63,390 | $47,390 | $72,800 | 320 | 0.27 | 1.88 |
| 21 | Iowa profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $43,030 | $71,810 | 200 | 0.13 | 0.91 |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | $29.36 | $61,080 | $40,110 | $90,470 | 100 | 0.10 | 0.68 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.92 | $60,140 | $44,980 | $79,560 | 360 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
| 24 | Arkansas profile | $28.69 | $59,680 | $35,800 | $121,240 | 120 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 25 | Michigan profile | $28.12 | $58,490 | $36,600 | $70,620 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.60 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $28.07 | $58,380 | $38,210 | $83,840 | 290 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 27 | Alaska profile | $27.89 | $58,010 | $57,990 | $82,360 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Alabama profile | $27.87 | $57,980 | $42,000 | $73,370 | 460 | 0.22 | 1.49 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $27.23 | $56,640 | $45,760 | $72,340 | 440 | 0.09 | 0.62 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $26.05 | $54,190 | $37,560 | $83,610 | 190 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| 31 | Massachusetts profile | $25.72 | $53,500 | $35,360 | $99,490 | 240 | 0.07 | 0.45 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $25.19 | $52,390 | $40,140 | $78,690 | 910 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 33 | Arizona profile | $25.18 | $52,370 | $47,640 | $76,980 | 250 | 0.08 | 0.54 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $24.99 | $51,980 | $41,960 | $81,110 | 3,770 | 0.27 | 1.85 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $24.53 | $51,020 | $40,750 | $87,160 | 470 | 0.20 | 1.40 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $24.17 | $50,270 | $38,000 | $83,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Wisconsin profile | $23.86 | $49,640 | $41,510 | $78,780 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.40 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $23.31 | $48,490 | $37,050 | $74,090 | 300 | 0.17 | 1.20 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $22.68 | $47,180 | $36,590 | $57,110 | 310 | 0.09 | 0.65 |
| 40 | Indiana profile | $22.16 | $46,090 | $40,670 | $78,830 | 330 | 0.10 | 0.70 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $20.99 | $43,660 | $29,220 | $75,180 | 1,840 | 0.95 | 6.56 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $19.74 | $41,060 | $30,120 | $50,140 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| 43 | New Mexico profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $37,010 | $69,820 | 230 | 0.26 | 1.79 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 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 49-9096 Riggers.
**- 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 49-9096, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-9096.00, 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.