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 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.