Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Crane and Tower Operators
Crane and Tower Operators: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 53-7021.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
6,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$68,080
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
42,890
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 6,000 hours, TRUCK CRANE OPERATOR (Alternate Title: Crane Operator) (hybrid)
- State medians
- $124,260 in Hawaii to $41,600 in Arkansas (51 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| TRUCK CRANE OPERATOR (Alternate Title: Crane Operator) | 0014 | Hybrid: 6,000 to 7,500 hours Time-Based: 6,000 hours |
What crane and tower operators earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $124,260 | $59.74 | 190 |
| Nevada | $115,840 | $55.69 | 380 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 | $50.16 | Not published |
| Washington | $101,110 | $48.61 | 1,030 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 | $48.39 | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $98,150 | $47.19 | 680 |
| Alaska | $92,490 | $44.47 | 50 |
| Maryland | $87,950 | $42.28 | Not published |
| New York | $85,850 | $41.27 | 1,150 |
| Oregon | $83,260 | $40.03 | 340 |
| North Dakota | $82,890 | $39.85 | 180 |
| Montana | $82,800 | $39.81 | 30 |
| Connecticut | $81,360 | $39.12 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $80,930 | $38.91 | 370 |
| California | $79,570 | $38.25 | 2,130 |
| Wyoming | $77,970 | $37.49 | 230 |
| Colorado | $77,120 | $37.08 | 470 |
| Kansas | $77,100 | $37.07 | 780 |
| Texas | $73,280 | $35.23 | 6,010 |
| Vermont | $72,760 | $34.98 | 170 |
| Florida | $71,560 | $34.40 | 2,570 |
| South Dakota | $71,000 | $34.13 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $67,720 | $32.56 | 440 |
| Iowa | $67,600 | $32.50 | 650 |
| Utah | $67,410 | $32.41 | 440 |
| Arizona | $67,350 | $32.38 | 930 |
| Virginia | $66,600 | $32.02 | 1,120 |
| Maine | $65,690 | $31.58 | 360 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,190 | $31.34 | 1,630 |
| North Carolina | $64,480 | $31.00 | 1,050 |
| South Carolina | $64,120 | $30.83 | 720 |
| Oklahoma | $63,590 | $30.57 | 620 |
| New Hampshire | $63,310 | $30.44 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $62,400 | $30.00 | 290 |
| Georgia | $62,050 | $29.83 | 1,370 |
| Kentucky | $62,000 | $29.81 | 640 |
| Illinois | $61,820 | $29.72 | 1,220 |
| Mississippi | $61,260 | $29.45 | 550 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 | $29.41 | 1,930 |
| Alabama | $60,790 | $29.22 | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $60,720 | $29.19 | 410 |
| Delaware | $60,160 | $28.92 | 220 |
| Michigan | $59,740 | $28.72 | 1,310 |
| Tennessee | $59,410 | $28.56 | 660 |
| Missouri | $58,450 | $28.10 | 630 |
| Guam | $58,140 | $27.95 | 50 |
| Ohio | $57,620 | $27.70 | 1,780 |
| West Virginia | $54,830 | $26.36 | 170 |
| Indiana | $52,950 | $25.46 | 2,300 |
| Idaho | $52,770 | $25.37 | Not published |
| Arkansas | $41,600 | $20.00 | 880 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.