Careers / Crane and Tower Operators
Crane and Tower Operators — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$68,080
United States, 2025
Employment
42,890
United States, 2025
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
- O*NET code
- 53-7021.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Typical tasks
- Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
- Inspect crane site conditions to determine ground stability.
- Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
- Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.
- Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
- Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
- Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
- Load or unload bundles from trucks, or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$42,640
25th percentile
$52,600
75th percentile
$83,200
90th percentile
$103,570
Most important skills
- Operation and Control3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Active Listening3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Repairing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Equipment Maintenance2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 9 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
9
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Crane and Tower OperatorsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas, NV | $131,690 | — | 2025 |
| HI | $124,260 | 190 | 2025 |
| Worcester, MA | $122,260 | 110 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $120,560 | 170 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | $120,310 | 40 | 2025 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $116,840 | 70 | 2025 |
| NV | $115,840 | 380 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $114,330 | 570 | 2025 |
| RI | $104,340 | — | 2025 |
| Reno, NV | $101,160 | — | 2025 |
| WA | $101,110 | 1,030 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $100,640 | 1,500 | 2025 |
| NJ | $100,640 | 1,000 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $99,540 | 180 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | $99,320 | 110 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $99,130 | 30 | 2025 |
| Reading, PA | $98,860 | 60 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,410 | 240 | 2025 |
| MA | $98,150 | 680 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $98,140 | 500 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Crane and Tower Operators to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.