Crane Operator Salary (2025)
Heavy Equipment · SOC Code 53-7021 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Crane Operator salaries range from $54,377 to $86,258 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Crane Operator Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $86,258 | $54,860 – $129,210 | $46,127 | C | 10,528 |
| Boston, MA | $86,242 | $52,888 – $126,467 | $56,738 | C | 11,307 |
| San Francisco, CA | $85,250 | $54,047 – $131,944 | $44,868 | C | 10,469 |
| Seattle, WA | $81,306 | $48,724 – $119,023 | $54,568 | C | 4,185 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $79,753 | $48,076 – $116,854 | $48,044 | C | 12,715 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $74,270 | $48,273 – $109,701 | $64,583 | B | 6,230 |
| Portland, OR | $71,967 | $45,456 – $111,701 | $55,359 | C | 4,447 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $69,837 | $45,341 – $99,812 | $67,151 | B | 6,156 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $69,281 | $43,023 – $98,137 | $65,359 | B | 5,533 |
| Chicago, IL | $68,994 | $40,751 – $104,413 | $64,480 | B | 4,476 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $68,987 | $41,579 – $104,016 | $74,986 | B | 5,388 |
| Detroit, MI | $68,748 | $42,233 – $98,909 | $77,245 | B | 3,119 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $66,628 | $41,924 – $94,903 | $69,404 | B | 3,158 |
| Columbus, OH | $65,644 | $39,303 – $98,598 | $70,585 | B | 3,341 |
| Denver, CO | $65,489 | $42,461 – $98,928 | $51,163 | C | 5,292 |
| Charlotte, NC | $64,816 | $40,413 – $97,514 | $66,139 | B | 4,522 |
| Nashville, TN | $63,797 | $40,060 – $95,328 | $61,939 | B | 4,337 |
| Kansas City, MO | $62,988 | $37,722 – $89,367 | $67,009 | B | 3,269 |
| Atlanta, GA | $62,921 | $37,369 – $93,272 | $59,359 | C | 7,224 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $62,718 | $38,496 – $89,824 | $60,891 | C | 7,138 |
| Houston, TX | $62,666 | $39,324 – $89,644 | $65,277 | B | 3,386 |
| Dallas, TX | $62,391 | $37,433 – $88,451 | $61,168 | C | 6,295 |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,834 | $36,896 – $94,499 | $61,834 | B | 4,456 |
| St. Louis, MO | $59,978 | $35,591 – $92,953 | $66,642 | B | 4,343 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $59,951 | $37,527 – $85,449 | $57,645 | C | 6,696 |
| San Antonio, TX | $58,280 | $37,894 – $87,358 | $64,756 | B | 4,575 |
| Miami, FL | $56,795 | $35,941 – $88,119 | $46,553 | C | 4,663 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $56,366 | $35,525 – $80,579 | $61,941 | B | 4,442 |
| New Orleans, LA | $56,054 | $33,316 – $83,803 | $59,004 | C | 4,547 |
| Tampa, FL | $54,377 | $33,647 – $80,933 | $53,839 | C | 7,237 |
About Crane Operator Pay
Crane Operators earn a national median salary of $67,153 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is New York at $86,258 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $54,377.
Becoming a crane operator typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $54,860, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $129,210 or more. With 11% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Heavy Equipment Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for crane operators is $67,153 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $54,377 to $86,258 depending on city, experience, and union status.
New York offers the highest median pay for crane operators at $86,258. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 11% wage growth over 5 years, crane operator is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 173,474 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a crane operator typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $54,860 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.