Crane operator vs tower operator

The differences between crane operators and tower 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 operator. Additionally, a crane operator has an average salary of $54,275, which is higher than the $38,634 average annual salary of a tower operator.

The top three skills for a crane operator include cranes, NCCCO and CDL. The most important skills for a tower operator are motor vehicle, tow truck, and tire changes.

Crane operator vs tower operator overview

	Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Yearly salary	$54,275	$38,634
Hourly rate	$26.09	$18.57
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,918	30,992
Job satisfaction	4.67	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Crane operator vs tower operator salary

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Average salary	$54,275	$38,634
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $83,000	Between $25,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	Katerra	Reckitt Benckiser
Best paying industry	Energy	Transportation

Differences between crane operator and tower operator education

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Crane operator vs tower operator demographics

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

	Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
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, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between crane operator and tower 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 operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate face to face with all outside agencies that are require to support the training for all logistics matters.
Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
Supervise the accountability of all MSOT equipment, totaling millions of dollars' worth of equipment.
Work closely with IAD ATCT and airlines to coordinate safe and efficient gate and non-movement area transitions.

Crane operator vs tower operator skills

Common crane operator skills

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

Common tower operator skills

Motor Vehicle, 33%
Tow Truck, 13%
Tire Changes, 6%
CIP, 5%
DOT, 5%
Roadside Assistance, 4%

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Transportation Industry
Crane Operator
Crane Operator vs Tower Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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