Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Crane Operator Salary in Minneapolis
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Heavy Equipment · COL Index: 106
Crane Operators in Minneapolis, MN earn a median annual wage of $71,890 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $49,430 and the 90th at $97,750. After cost of living, that translates to $67,821 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (62/100).
What Crane Operators Take Home in Minneapolis
The $48,320 spread between entry-level and top-decile crane operators in Minneapolis is relatively narrow — about 67% of the median. That tight band usually signals a trade where pay scales primarily with experience rather than employer or specialization. New entrants can expect to climb steadily toward median pay over their first 5-10 years.
Minneapolis's cost-of-living index of 106 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $71,890 median for crane operators here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $67,821 in U.S.-average terms. What you see is what you take home, with no significant adjustment up or down.
With a Trade Pay Score of 62 (C), crane operators in Minneapolis are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $49,430 | $46,632 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $62,380 | $58,849 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $71,890 | $67,821 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $88,760 | $83,736 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $97,750 | $92,217 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for crane operators, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Minneapolis are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Crane Operator make in Minneapolis?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median crane operator salary in Minneapolis, MN is $71,890. The 10th percentile is $49,430 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $97,750 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Minneapolis pay compare for Crane Operators?
With a Trade Pay Score of 62/100 and a grade of C, the Minneapolis-Crane Operator pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Crane Operators in Minneapolis?
Crane Operators typically complete a 3-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($49,430) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Crane Operator pay in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis has a cost-of-living index of 106. The median crane operator salary of $71,890 translates to $67,821 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in Minneapolis
$124,740 median · Grade B
$120,250 median · Grade B
$109,590 median · Grade B
$109,590 median · Grade B
$102,740 median · Grade C
$97,020 median · Grade B
Crane Operators in Minneapolis, MN earn a median annual wage of $71,890 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $49,430 and the 90th at $97,750. After cost of living, that translates to $67,821 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (62/100).
The Crane Operators in Minneapolis, MN record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how Crane Operators in Minneapolis, MN sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for Crane Operators in Minneapolis, MN is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.