Crane and Tower Operators Wages
SOC 53-7021 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators is $64,690 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $39,200 and the 90th percentile is $98,820, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
42,260
P10
$39,200
P25
$48,380
Median
$64,690
P75
$78,720
P90
$98,820
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Crane and Tower Operators have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $64,690 | $68,040 | $39,200 | $98,820 | 42,260 | — |
| 2022 | $61,340 | $65,220 | $37,680 | $93,410 | 45,210 | -5.18% |
| 2021 | $62,240 | $65,270 | $37,490 | $98,490 | 43,400 | +1.47% |
| 2020 | $59,710 | $64,010 | $34,170 | $95,820 | 44,060 | -4.06% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Crane and Tower Operators. The highest median is in Hawaii at $113,500, 75% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $113,500 | +75.5% | $110,940 | 260 |
| Nevada | $113,220 | +75% | $108,890 | 180 |
| Oregon | $106,400 | +64.5% | $96,440 | 520 |
| Alaska | $91,150 | +40.9% | $86,180 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $88,970 | +37.5% | $96,750 | 620 |
| District of Columbia | $84,900 | +31.2% | $89,690 | 30 |
| Washington | $83,320 | +28.8% | $86,220 | 1,040 |
| New York | $81,930 | +26.7% | $118,190 | 1,380 |
| New Jersey | $81,900 | +26.6% | $90,880 | 670 |
| Connecticut | $81,800 | +26.4% | $83,440 | 280 |
| North Dakota | $76,400 | +18.1% | $76,720 | 300 |
| Idaho | $75,960 | +17.4% | $76,220 | 120 |
| Minnesota | $72,760 | +12.5% | $79,540 | 170 |
| Texas | $70,380 | +8.8% | $67,380 | 7,610 |
| Colorado | $69,620 | +7.6% | $73,250 | 480 |
| Montana | $68,640 | +6.1% | $65,890 | 120 |
| Missouri | $68,020 | +5.1% | $73,430 | 530 |
| Nebraska | $67,890 | +4.9% | $64,580 | 320 |
| Vermont | $67,860 | +4.9% | $68,630 | 50 |
| Maryland | $67,790 | +4.8% | $67,150 | 380 |
| South Dakota | $67,760 | +4.7% | $73,300 | 80 |
| Utah | $66,170 | +2.3% | $66,140 | 730 |
| Wyoming | $65,820 | +1.7% | $71,500 | 110 |
| Virginia | $65,040 | +0.5% | $65,320 | 1,070 |
| Florida | $65,020 | +0.5% | $63,910 | 2,270 |
| New Hampshire | $64,260 | -0.7% | $68,980 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $63,930 | -1.2% | $65,890 | 70 |
| Georgia | $63,850 | -1.3% | $59,090 | 1,330 |
| Louisiana | $63,370 | -2% | $61,480 | 1,740 |
| Kansas | $63,110 | -2.4% | $62,720 | 390 |
| Maine | $62,140 | -3.9% | $62,040 | 300 |
| North Carolina | $61,950 | -4.2% | $62,030 | 1,090 |
| Wisconsin | $61,660 | -4.7% | $67,880 | 600 |
| West Virginia | $60,460 | -6.5% | $59,210 | 400 |
| Delaware | $59,960 | -7.3% | $59,240 | 100 |
| California | $59,940 | -7.3% | $66,850 | 2,720 |
| Iowa | $59,170 | -8.5% | $60,470 | 560 |
| Illinois | $58,820 | -9.1% | $73,270 | 980 |
| Indiana | $57,510 | -11.1% | $62,520 | 1,840 |
| Oklahoma | $56,410 | -12.8% | $58,280 | 500 |
| Arizona | $55,880 | -13.6% | $63,140 | 800 |
| South Carolina | $55,780 | -13.8% | $58,750 | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,220 | -14.6% | $61,170 | 1,730 |
| Tennessee | $54,540 | -15.7% | $56,390 | 740 |
| Michigan | $54,440 | -15.8% | $66,030 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $53,000 | -18.1% | $54,750 | 500 |
| Alabama | $50,600 | -21.8% | $53,320 | 1,070 |
| Ohio | $50,600 | -21.8% | $60,150 | 1,730 |
| Arkansas | $49,170 | -24% | $48,610 | 820 |
| Kentucky | $47,580 | -26.4% | $53,640 | 670 |