Operates the tall tower cranes on high-rise construction sites from a cab far above the ground, lifting steel, concrete and equipment into place. BLS does not publish separate figures for crane and tower operators; it counts them within crane and tower operator (SOC 53-7021), whose median pay is $68,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-7021
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Tower Crane Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $68,080a year, or $32.73/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $104K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.8%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,50042,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202542.9K
- Projected 203544.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 42.9K Projected 2035 44.5K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school7.8%
- High school31.5%
- Certificate60.6%
Highest education held by crane and tower operators Segment Value Less than high school 7.8% High school 31.5% Certificate 60.6%
Also advertised as: Tower Crane Driver, Certified Tower Crane Operator, Hammerhead Crane Operator, Luffing Crane Operator.
Pay
How much do Crane and Tower Operators make?
Every tower crane operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$68,080
Middle half earn $52,600 to $83,200
- 10th
- $42,640
- 25th
- $52,600
- 75th
- $83,200
- 90th
- $103,570
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,640 |
| 25th | $52,600 |
| Median | $68,080 |
| 75th | $83,200 |
| 90th | $103,570 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $68,080
- Median hourly wage
- $32.73/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $72,130
- People employed
- 42,890
Versus all US occupations
At $68,080, Crane and Tower Operators earn 34% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $17,100 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 8% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $103,570 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,640, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 43% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Hawaii posts the highest raw median ($124,260), but once local prices are taken into account Nevada leads at $115,864 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Crane and Tower 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $124,260 | $113,014 | 190 |
| 2Nevada | $115,840 | $115,864 | 380 |
| 3Rhode Island | $104,340 | $102,014 | N/A |
| 4Washington | $101,110 | $94,484 | 1,030 |
| 5New Jersey | $100,640 | $92,496 | 1,000 |
| 6Massachusetts | $98,150 | $92,807 | 680 |
| 7Alaska | $92,490 | $90,358 | 50 |
| 8Maryland | $87,950 | $83,795 | N/A |
| 9New York | $85,850 | $79,549 | 1,150 |
| 10Oregon | $83,260 | $80,553 | 340 |
Job outlook
Is Tower Crane Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Crane and Tower Operators | +3.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Crane and Tower Operators to change 3.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,500 openings are projected each year, 8.2% of the 42,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Tower Crane Operator
Most tower crane operators start as mobile crane operators, oilers or riggers, often through an operating engineers' union apprenticeship or a construction employer. OSHA requires crane operators on construction sites to be certified, and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators offers a specific Tower Crane Operator certification with written and practical exams.
Certification must be renewed every five years. Some cities and states, such as New York City and California, add their own licensing or certification requirements for tower crane operators. Employers also evaluate operators on the specific crane models they will run.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as crane and tower operators.
- Post-Secondary Certificate60.6%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)31.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma7.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 60.6% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 31.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 7.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Tower Crane Operator do?
Tower crane operators run the fixed cranes that rise above high-rise construction sites. From a small cab at the top of the mast, they lift structural steel, rebar, concrete buckets, formwork, curtain wall panels and mechanical equipment, placing loads with precision while relying on radio or hand signals from a signal person on the ground.
Operators check load charts for every pick, monitor wind speed, perform pre-shift inspections and work closely with riggers and site supervisors. They often climb a long ladder to reach the cab and stay up for much of the shift. Some also help with crane jumping, the process of adding mast sections as the building grows.
Day-to-day tasks
- Operate tower cranes to lift and place construction materials
- Review load charts and plan each lift with the site team
- Perform pre-shift inspections of crane controls and safety devices
- Communicate with signal persons by radio and hand signals
- Monitor wind speed and stop lifts in unsafe conditions
- Lift steel, concrete buckets, formwork and curtain wall panels
- Assist with crane climbing and mast extension
- Log operating hours, inspections and defects
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Tower crane operators work alone in a cab high above a construction site, often for an entire shift. The work requires concentration, a tolerance for heights and long ladder climbs, and it stops in high winds and storms. Early starts and long days are typical, and work follows the construction cycle in major cities.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
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 Thinking3.3
- Active Listening3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Writing2.6
- Mathematics2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Equipment Maintenance2.9
- Troubleshooting2.9
- Repairing2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.9 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Industrial control software
- Inventory management software
“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 Tower Crane Operator?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RC) built on O*NET's Crane and Tower Operator profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Tower Crane Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
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.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.7
- Investigative2.2
- Enterprising1.3
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.0
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 Tower Crane Operator
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More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with crane and tower 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
- Tower Crane Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- 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 |
| Tower Crane Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Tower Crane Operator appears on
Questions
Tower Crane Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Crane and Tower Operators make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for crane and tower operators. It counts them within crane and tower operator, whose median pay is $68,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $52,600 and $83,200, and the top 10% earn $103,570 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Tower Crane Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Crane and Tower Operators. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 60.6% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Tower Crane Operator a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.8% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Tower Crane Operator do?
Tower crane operators run the fixed cranes that rise above high-rise construction sites. A typical task: operate tower cranes to lift and place construction materials. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Crane and Tower Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Crane and Tower Operators are Hawaii ($124,260), Nevada ($115,840), Rhode Island ($104,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Nevada moves to the top at $115,864.
What personality type suits a Tower Crane Operator?
O*NET scores Crane and Tower 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.