Crane operator vs bridge crane operator

The differences between crane operators and bridge crane operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a crane operator and a bridge crane operator. Additionally, a crane operator has an average salary of $54,275, which is higher than the $44,983 average annual salary of a bridge crane operator.

The top three skills for a crane operator include cranes, NCCCO and CDL. The most important skills for a bridge crane operator are cranes, OSHA, and hoisting.

Crane operator vs bridge crane operator overview

	Crane Operator	Bridge Crane Operator
Yearly salary	$54,275	$44,983
Hourly rate	$26.09	$21.63
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,918	30,861
Job satisfaction	4.67	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Crane operator vs bridge crane operator salary

Crane operators and bridge crane operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Crane Operator	Bridge Crane Operator
Average salary	$54,275	$44,983
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $83,000	Between $27,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Katerra	-
Best paying industry	Energy	-

Differences between crane operator and bridge crane operator education

There are a few differences between a crane operator and a bridge crane operator in terms of educational background:

	Crane Operator	Bridge Crane Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Crane operator vs bridge crane operator demographics

Here are the differences between crane operators' and bridge crane operators' demographics:

	Crane Operator	Bridge Crane Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 0.7% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 0.7% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between crane operator and bridge crane operator duties and responsibilities

Crane operator example responsibilities.

Perform preventive maintenance on cranes in accordance with manufacturer and OSHA requirements.
Train, test and certify to run all small and large hydraulic cranes through NCCCO.
Operate LBT and TLL cranes, loading and unloading concrete bridge girders in a precast yard in a production setting.
Rig cranes to handle constriction materials using appropriate nylon and wire rope slings, shackles and other material handling equipment.
Arch, MIG, and TIG welding.
Maintain and use appropriate PPE.

Bridge crane operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Operate Kone overhead cranes to offload railcars, load CTL line with steel coils and fix coil rows.

Crane operator vs bridge crane operator skills

Common crane operator skills

Cranes, 25%
NCCCO, 7%
CDL, 7%
OSHA, 4%
Hoisting, 4%
Safety Rules, 3%

Common bridge crane operator skills

Cranes, 34%
OSHA, 18%
Hoisting, 17%
Bulk Materials, 10%
Safety Checks, 7%
Position Loads, 6%

Crane Operator vs. similar jobs

Crane Operator related careers

Crane Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Crane Operator
Crane Operator vs Bridge Crane Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs