Career profile · 53-7021
Crane and Tower Operators
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
What the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Transportation
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Industrial control software: Crane operation control software
- Inventory management software: Inventory tracking software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for crane and tower operators
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 50 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,790 | $29.22 | 1,280 |
| Alaska | $92,490 | $44.47 | 50 |
| Arizona | $67,350 | $32.38 | 930 |
| Arkansas | $41,600 | $20.00 | 880 |
| California | $79,570 | $38.25 | 2,130 |
| Colorado | $77,120 | $37.08 | 470 |
| Connecticut | $81,360 | $39.12 | 220 |
| Delaware | $60,160 | $28.92 | 220 |
| Florida | $71,560 | $34.40 | 2,570 |
| Georgia | $62,050 | $29.83 | 1,370 |
| Hawaii | $124,260 | $59.74 | 190 |
| Idaho | $52,770 | $25.37 | Not published |
| Illinois | $61,820 | $29.72 | 1,220 |
| Indiana | $52,950 | $25.46 | 2,300 |
| Iowa | $67,600 | $32.50 | 650 |
| Kansas | $77,100 | $37.07 | 780 |
| Kentucky | $62,000 | $29.81 | 640 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 | $29.41 | 1,930 |
| Maine | $65,690 | $31.58 | 360 |
| Maryland | $87,950 | $42.28 | Not published |
| Massachusetts | $98,150 | $47.19 | 680 |
| Michigan | $59,740 | $28.72 | 1,310 |
| Minnesota | $80,930 | $38.91 | 370 |
| Mississippi | $61,260 | $29.45 | 550 |
| Missouri | $58,450 | $28.10 | 630 |
| Montana | $82,800 | $39.81 | 30 |
| Nebraska | $60,720 | $29.19 | 410 |
| Nevada | $115,840 | $55.69 | 380 |
| New Hampshire | $63,310 | $30.44 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 | $48.39 | 1,000 |
| New Mexico | $62,400 | $30.00 | 290 |
| New York | $85,850 | $41.27 | 1,150 |
| North Carolina | $64,480 | $31.00 | 1,050 |
| North Dakota | $82,890 | $39.85 | 180 |
| Ohio | $57,620 | $27.70 | 1,780 |
| Oklahoma | $63,590 | $30.57 | 620 |
| Oregon | $83,260 | $40.03 | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,190 | $31.34 | 1,630 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 | $50.16 | Not published |
| South Carolina | $64,120 | $30.83 | 720 |
| South Dakota | $71,000 | $34.13 | 120 |
| Tennessee | $59,410 | $28.56 | 660 |
| Texas | $73,280 | $35.23 | 6,010 |
| Utah | $67,410 | $32.41 | 440 |
| Vermont | $72,760 | $34.98 | 170 |
| Virginia | $66,600 | $32.02 | 1,120 |
| Washington | $101,110 | $48.61 | 1,030 |
| West Virginia | $54,830 | $26.36 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $67,720 | $32.56 | 440 |
| Wyoming | $77,970 | $37.49 | 230 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 230 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
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Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 53-7021.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.