Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Crane Operator Salary in Raleigh
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Heavy Equipment · COL Index: 100
Crane Operators in Raleigh, NC earn a median annual wage of $79,280 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $53,180 and the 90th at $104,000. After cost of living, that translates to $79,280 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (65/100).
What Crane Operators Take Home in Raleigh
The $50,820 spread between entry-level and top-decile crane operators in Raleigh is relatively narrow — about 64% 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.
Raleigh's cost-of-living index of 100 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $79,280 median for crane operators here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $79,280 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 65 (C), crane operators in Raleigh 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) | $53,180 | $53,180 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $61,020 | $61,020 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $79,280 | $79,280 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $80,710 | $80,710 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $104,000 | $104,000 |
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 Raleigh are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Crane Operator make in Raleigh?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median crane operator salary in Raleigh, NC is $79,280. The 10th percentile is $53,180 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $104,000 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Raleigh pay compare for Crane Operators?
With a Trade Pay Score of 65/100 and a grade of C, the Raleigh-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 Raleigh?
Crane Operators typically complete a 3-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($53,180) 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 Raleigh?
Raleigh has a cost-of-living index of 100. The median crane operator salary of $79,280 translates to $79,280 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less 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.
Crane Operators in Raleigh, NC earn a median annual wage of $79,280 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $53,180 and the 90th at $104,000. After cost of living, that translates to $79,280 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (65/100).
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
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.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.