Crane operator vs tower crane operator

The differences between crane operators and tower 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 tower crane operator. Additionally, a crane operator has an average salary of $54,275, which is higher than the $44,595 average annual salary of a tower crane operator.

The top three skills for a crane operator include cranes, NCCCO and CDL. The most important skills for a tower crane operator are cranes, hoisting, and hand signals.

Crane operator vs tower crane operator overview

	Crane Operator	Tower Crane Operator
Yearly salary	$54,275	$44,595
Hourly rate	$26.09	$21.44
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,918	30,816
Job satisfaction	4.67	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 47%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Crane operator vs tower crane operator salary

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Crane Operator
Average salary	$54,275	$44,595
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $83,000	Between $26,000 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 tower crane operator education

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Crane Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Crane operator vs tower crane operator demographics

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Crane Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 99.3% Female, 0.7%
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, 9.1% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 0.7% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between crane operator and tower 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.

Tower crane operator example responsibilities.

Train and supervise other employees to achieve significant improvements in their crane operating productivity.
Inspect mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, grappling devices, and lifting accessories in order to prevent malfunctions and damage.
Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Set aluminum panels to pour concrete foundation.

Crane operator vs tower crane operator skills

Common crane operator skills

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

Common tower crane operator skills

Cranes, 55%
Hoisting, 25%
Hand Signals, 8%
Pulleys, 4%
Construction Materials, 4%
Building Materials, 3%

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Crane Operator vs Tower Crane Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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