Crane and Tower Operators
Also called: Acid Crane Operator, Boom Cat Operator, Boom Crane Operator, Boomswing Operator, Bottom Crane Operator, Bridge Crane Operator, Burial Vault Deliverer, Burial Vault Installer
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
What crane and tower operators do
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.
- Direct truck drivers backing vehicles into loading bays and cover, uncover, or secure loads for delivery.
- Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
- Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements, and remove and batch packaging tickets.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Crane and Tower Operators salary
The median annual wage for crane and tower operators is $68,080 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $42,640 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $103,570. The mean annual wage is $72,130.
The mean hourly wage of $34.00 is 4.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Crane and Tower Operators (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $68,080 → in 3 years $74,800 → in 5 years $79,700 → in 10 years $93,300 (10-year range $80,200–$108,300). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Crane and Tower Operators
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Crane and Tower Operators? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Crane and Tower Operators
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Crane and Tower Operators United States | クレーン運転士 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $68,080 | ¥5.87M ≈ $37,309 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $93,300 | ¥7.64M |
| Outlook score | 59 | 59 |
| AI replacement risk | 22% Low | 43% Moderate |
| Workers | 43K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Crane and Tower Operators
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become crane and tower operators
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as crane and tower operators
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.