Hoist and Winch Operators earn a median of $56,450 per year ($27.14/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 0.2% through 2035, with about 300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 53-7041
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Hoist and Winch Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $56,450a year, or $27.14/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $118K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +0.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+0.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +0.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3003,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.2K
- Projected 20353.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.2K Projected 2035 3.2K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Hoist Operator, Hoisting Operator, Hoistman, Service Operator, Winch Derrick Operator, Winchman.
Pay
How much do Hoist and Winch Operators make?
Every hoist and winch operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$56,450
Middle half earn $42,690 to $94,350
- 10th
- $35,640
- 25th
- $42,690
- 75th
- $94,350
- 90th
- $118,210
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,640 |
| 25th | $42,690 |
| Median | $56,450 |
| 75th | $94,350 |
| 90th | $118,210 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $56,450
- Median hourly wage
- $27.14/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $67,710
- People employed
- 2,600
Versus all US occupations
At $56,450, Hoist and Winch Operators earn 11% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $5,470 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 10% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,210 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,640, a gap of 3.3×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 28% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Illinois pays the most at $118,210, and still leads at $118,260 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Hoist and Winch Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Illinois | $118,210 | $118,260 | 320 |
| 2Hawaii | $107,100 | $97,407 | 120 |
| 3Maryland | $99,840 | $95,123 | 140 |
| 4Minnesota | $78,400 | $79,496 | 60 |
| 5New York | $74,980 | $69,477 | 110 |
| 6Massachusetts | $62,240 | $58,852 | N/A |
| 7Oregon | $55,880 | $54,063 | 70 |
| 8Missouri | $47,510 | $52,314 | 40 |
| 9Ohio | $43,000 | $46,349 | N/A |
| 10Michigan | $40,070 | $41,645 | 50 |
Job outlook
Is Hoist and Winch Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +0.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hoist and Winch Operators | +0.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Hoist and Winch Operators to change 0.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 0 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 300 openings are projected each year, 9.4% of the 3,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.
Despite limited employment growth, about 70,700 openings for material moving machine operators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of material moving machine operators varies by occupation (see table).
Getting in
How to become a Hoist and Winch Operator
Education and training requirements vary by occupation. Crane operators typically have several years of experience in a related occupation.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Hoist and Winch Operator do?
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. For example, some operators move goods around factories and storage areas or onto container ships. Others move construction materials around building sites.
Day-to-day tasks
- Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
- Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
- Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
- Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
- Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
- Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
- Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
- Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some work overnight shifts.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Listening3.4
- Speaking3.1
- Active Learning2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Mathematics2.6
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Time Management3.5
- Operation and Control3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Operation and Control | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Hoist and Winch Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Hoist and Winch Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.9
- Conventional3.3
- Investigative1.6
- Social1.4
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Hoist and Winch Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Transportation and Material Moving
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator
$46,420median a year
Most earn $37K to $63K
+1.5%No formal credential - Transportation and Material Moving
- Construction and Extraction
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
$59,850median a year
Most earn $42K to $101K
+4.6%High school - Construction and Extraction
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
$57,430median a year
Most earn $42K to $82K
+1.0%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines
$65,510median a year
Most earn $47K to $94K
+6.7%High school
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with hoist and winch operators highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Hoist and Winch Operator$56,450
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Hoist and Winch Operator | $56,450 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Hoist and Winch Operator appears on
Questions
Hoist and Winch Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Hoist and Winch Operators make?
Hoist and Winch Operators earn a median of $56,450 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 11% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.14/hr. The middle half earn between $42,690 and $94,350. The top 10% earn $118,210 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Hoist and Winch Operator?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Hoist and Winch Operators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Hoist and Winch Operator a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 0.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Hoist and Winch Operator do?
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. A core O*NET task: observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths. Employers most often ask for Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Hoist and Winch Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Hoist and Winch Operators are Illinois ($118,210), Hawaii ($107,100), Maryland ($99,840) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Hoist and Winch Operator?
O*NET scores Hoist and Winch Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.