Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Pipefitter vs Crane Operator
Pipefitters earn a national median of $69,782 versus $75,123 for Crane Operators, a gap of $5,341 per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Pipefitters have posted +6% 5-year wage growth versus +4% for Crane Operators.
How These Trades Stack Up
Crane Operators out-earn Pipefitters on national median by $5,341 — $75,123 versus $69,782, or about 8% more. That gap reflects differences in apprenticeship length, certification requirements, industry concentration, and union footprint between the two trades.
Pipefitters have grown faster — +6% over five years versus +4% for Crane Operators. Sustained growth gaps of this size can compound meaningfully over a 20-30 year career, so workers comparing the two trades should weigh growth alongside the headline median.
Crane Operators typically complete a 3-year apprenticeship while Pipefitters require 5 years. The longer pathway usually translates into higher journeyman pay and stronger licensure protection, but it also delays full earnings; the shorter pathway delivers faster income at typically lower medians.
Pipefitter
Plumbing · 5yr apprenticeship
Crane Operator
Heavy Equipment · 3yr apprenticeship
City-by-City Comparison
| City | Pipefitter | Crane Operator | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $100,110 | $110,280 | -$10,170 |
| Chicago, IL | $98,890 | $57,740 | +$41,150 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $97,020 | $71,890 | +$25,130 |
| Seattle, WA | $87,160 | $106,010 | -$18,850 |
| Boston, MA | $83,640 | $75,980 | +$7,660 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,080 | $65,960 | +$16,120 |
| Detroit, MI | $81,480 | $84,470 | -$2,990 |
| New York, NY | $79,420 | $94,370 | -$14,950 |
| St. Louis, MO | $73,060 | $45,360 | +$27,700 |
| Kansas City, MO | $72,600 | $72,260 | +$340 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $72,580 | $72,630 | -$50 |
| San Francisco, CA | $71,700 | $69,970 | +$1,730 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $66,930 | $56,830 | +$10,100 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $66,090 | $78,360 | -$12,270 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $65,110 | $61,780 | +$3,330 |
| New Orleans, LA | $64,340 | $56,440 | +$7,900 |
| Denver, CO | $64,300 | $75,830 | -$11,530 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $63,780 | $80,440 | -$16,660 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,600 | $90,090 | -$26,490 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $62,680 | $67,960 | -$5,280 |
| Dallas, TX | $60,370 | $74,570 | -$14,200 |
| Houston, TX | $60,230 | $75,450 | -$15,220 |
| Nashville, TN | $59,870 | $49,350 | +$10,520 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $59,640 | $132,560 | -$72,920 |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,690 | $67,230 | -$8,540 |
| San Antonio, TX | $58,530 | $66,170 | -$7,640 |
| Miami, FL | $56,170 | $79,440 | -$23,270 |
| Raleigh, NC | $55,560 | $79,280 | -$23,720 |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,550 | $59,220 | -$3,670 |
| Tampa, FL | $52,280 | $75,760 | -$23,480 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
All wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024) release at bls.gov/oes. National medians are the BLS-published median wages for the trade's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code; metropolitan medians come from the same OEWS release at the metropolitan statistical area level. Five-year wage growth compares the current OEWS median to the same series five releases prior, expressed as a percent change. The Trade Pay Score weights raw pay (30%), wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade — read the full methodology.
Forward-looking employment projections through 2032 for both trades are published in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship pathway detail comes from the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov registry. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Pipefitters or Crane Operators make more money?
Crane Operators earn more on national median — $75,123 versus $69,782, a gap of $5,341 per 2024 BLS OEWS data. The full BLS dataset is published at https://www.bls.gov/oes/.
Which trade has stronger 5-year wage growth?
Pipefitters have posted faster wage growth at +6% versus +4% for Crane Operators. Sustained gaps in growth often compound meaningfully over a 20-30 year career.
How long is the apprenticeship for each trade?
Pipefitters typically complete a 5-year registered apprenticeship. Crane Operators typically complete a 3-year registered apprenticeship. Programs are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
Which trade has better employment depth?
Pipefitters have 189,520 workers employed nationally; Crane Operators have 16,150. Larger employment bases generally translate into more job openings, easier mobility between employers, and lower volatility — useful when comparing the long-term resilience of two trade pathways.
Where can I find apprenticeships for either trade?
Registered apprenticeship programs for both Pipefitter and Crane Operator are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov site at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/, which lets you filter by trade, state, and city. Projected employment growth through 2032 for each occupation is published in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Pipefitters earn a national median of $69,782 versus $75,123 for Crane Operators, a gap of $5,341 per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Pipefitters have posted +6% 5-year wage growth versus +4% for Crane Operators.
The side-by-side above pulls the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data for both entity A and entity B. What follows is the interpretation — which specific axes carry the most weight for entity A versus entity B, and which differences are large enough to influence a real decision.
For households or analysts using this comparison as a decision input, the right framing is usually not "which is better" in aggregate but "which is better for the specific decision in front of you." the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey captures the raw data; the framing depends on whether the question is investment, residency, planning, or research.