Crane operator vs port crane operator

The differences between crane operators and port 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 port crane operator. Additionally, a crane operator has an average salary of $54,275, which is higher than the $44,298 average annual salary of a port crane operator.

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

Crane operator vs port crane operator overview

	Crane Operator	Port Crane Operator
Yearly salary	$54,275	$44,298
Hourly rate	$26.09	$21.30
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,918	32,651
Job satisfaction	4.67	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Crane operator vs port crane operator salary

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

	Crane Operator	Port Crane Operator
Average salary	$54,275	$44,298
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $83,000	Between $27,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Katerra	-
Best paying industry	Energy	-

Differences between crane operator and port crane operator education

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

	Crane Operator	Port Crane Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Crane operator vs port crane operator demographics

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

	Crane Operator	Port Crane Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 75.0% Female, 25.0%
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, 10.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 0.7% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between crane operator and port 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.

Port crane operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Drive truck to location and offload buildings to designate site using an ABC crane.

Crane operator vs port crane operator skills

Common crane operator skills

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

Common port crane operator skills

CDL, 100%

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Transportation Industry
Crane Operator
Crane Operator vs Port Crane Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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