Crane and Tower Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for crane and tower operators is $68,080, or $32.73 per hour. About 42,890 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $124,260 in Hawaii to $41,600 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $124,260 | $59.74 | 190 | 1.10 |
| 2 | Nevada | $115,840 | $55.69 | 380 | 0.89 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $104,340 | $50.16 | — | — |
| 4 | Washington | $101,110 | $48.61 | 1,030 | 1.05 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $100,640 | $48.39 | 1,000 | 0.84 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $98,150 | $47.19 | 680 | 0.68 |
| 7 | Alaska | $92,490 | $44.47 | 50 | 0.58 |
| 8 | Maryland | $87,950 | $42.28 | — | — |
| 9 | New York | $85,850 | $41.27 | 1,150 | 0.43 |
| 10 | Oregon | $83,260 | $40.03 | 340 | 0.63 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $82,890 | $39.85 | 180 | 1.49 |
| 12 | Montana | $82,800 | $39.81 | 30 | 0.25 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $81,360 | $39.12 | 220 | 0.46 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $80,930 | $38.91 | 370 | 0.45 |
| 15 | California | $79,570 | $38.25 | 2,130 | 0.42 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $77,970 | $37.49 | 230 | 3.01 |
| 17 | Colorado | $77,120 | $37.08 | 470 | 0.59 |
| 18 | Kansas | $77,100 | $37.07 | 780 | 1.96 |
| 19 | Texas | $73,280 | $35.23 | 6,010 | 1.55 |
| 20 | Vermont | $72,760 | $34.98 | 170 | 2.05 |
| 21 | Florida | $71,560 | $34.40 | 2,570 | 0.94 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $71,000 | $34.13 | 120 | 0.95 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $67,720 | $32.56 | 440 | 0.54 |
| 24 | Iowa | $67,600 | $32.50 | 650 | 1.52 |
| 25 | Utah | $67,410 | $32.41 | 440 | 0.91 |
| 26 | Arizona | $67,350 | $32.38 | 930 | 1.04 |
| 27 | Virginia | $66,600 | $32.02 | 1,120 | 0.99 |
| 28 | Maine | $65,690 | $31.58 | 360 | 2.03 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $65,190 | $31.34 | 1,630 | 0.97 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $64,480 | $31.00 | 1,050 | 0.77 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $64,120 | $30.83 | 720 | 1.13 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $63,590 | $30.57 | 620 | 1.31 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $63,310 | $30.44 | 170 | 0.91 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $62,400 | $30.00 | 290 | 1.23 |
| 35 | Georgia | $62,050 | $29.83 | 1,370 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $62,000 | $29.81 | 640 | 1.17 |
| 37 | Illinois | $61,820 | $29.72 | 1,220 | 0.73 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $61,260 | $29.45 | 550 | 1.72 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $61,170 | $29.41 | 1,930 | 3.61 |
| 40 | Alabama | $60,790 | $29.22 | 1,280 | 2.19 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,720 | $29.19 | 410 | 1.44 |
| 42 | Delaware | $60,160 | $28.92 | 220 | 1.63 |
| 43 | Michigan | $59,740 | $28.72 | 1,310 | 1.08 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $59,410 | $28.56 | 660 | 0.73 |
| 45 | Missouri | $58,450 | $28.10 | 630 | 0.77 |
| 46 | Ohio | $57,620 | $27.70 | 1,780 | 1.16 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $54,830 | $26.36 | 170 | 0.90 |
| 48 | Indiana | $52,950 | $25.46 | 2,300 | 2.60 |
| 49 | Idaho | $52,770 | $25.37 | — | — |
| 50 | Arkansas | $41,600 | $20.00 | 880 | 2.45 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do crane and tower operators make?
The median annual wage for crane and tower operators in the United States is $68,080, or $32.73 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $42,640, and the top 10% earn $103,570.
How many crane and tower operators are employed in the U.S.?
About 42,890 people work as crane and tower operators nationwide.
Which state pays crane and tower operators the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $124,260, followed by Nevada ($115,840) and Rhode Island ($104,340).
Which state pays crane and tower operators the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $41,600.
Where are crane and tower operators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Louisiana at 3.61×.