The average salary for a crane operator in the United States is around $56,690 per year.
Avg Salary
Crane operators earn an average yearly salary of $56,690.
Wages typically start from $32,250 and go up to $99,651.
6% below national average Updated in 2019
Crane operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$47.91 per hour
$99,651 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$36.68 per hour
$76,285 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$27.25 per hour
$56,690 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$20.25 per hour
$42,128 per year
10th percentile
Starting level crane operator earnings begin at:
$15.50 per hour
$32,250 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Crane operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $94,060 |
| Hawaii | $86,230 |
| Alaska | $81,000 |
| Washington | $72,310 |
| Nevada | $70,040 |
| New Jersey | $69,860 |
| Oregon | $69,560 |
| Montana | $66,080 |
| Connecticut | $65,120 |
| California | $63,280 |
| North Dakota | $61,660 |
| Virginia | $60,990 |
| Massachusetts | $59,670 |
| Wyoming | $59,240 |
| New Mexico | $59,200 |
| South Dakota | $57,390 |
| Maryland | $57,090 |
| Florida | $55,700 |
| Iowa | $54,960 |
| Kansas | $54,890 |
| Texas | $54,310 |
| Rhode Island | $53,650 |
| Colorado | $53,520 |
| Indiana | $53,180 |
| Idaho | $53,150 |
| Maine | $52,770 |
| Tennessee | $52,240 |
| West Virginia | $51,970 |
| Utah | $51,170 |
| Georgia | $50,960 |
| Vermont | $50,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,052 |
| Nebraska | $49,880 |
| Kentucky | $49,680 |
| Louisiana | $49,520 |
| Alabama | $49,200 |
| Oklahoma | $48,760 |
| South Carolina | $48,760 |
| Minnesota | $48,500 |
| North Carolina | $48,470 |
| Illinois | $48,070 |
| Arizona | $47,380 |
| Delaware | $44,340 |
| New Hampshire | $44,060 |
| Ohio | $44,030 |
| Mississippi | $43,840 |
| Michigan | $43,600 |
| Wisconsin | $43,520 |
| Guam | $41,560 |
| Missouri | $40,830 |
| Arkansas | $36,660 |
| District of Columbia | $31,870 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,610 |
How do crane operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Crane operators earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than architects but more than brickmasons.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Architect salary | $68K |
| Surveyor salary | $63K |
| Commercial diver salary | $50K |
| Building and construction inspector salary | $61K |
| Marine electrician salary | $63K |
| Crane operator salary | $57K |
| Ironworker salary | $55K |
| Pipefitter salary | $54K |
| Plumber salary | $51K |
| Brickmason salary | $48K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)