Crane operator demographics and statistics in the US
Crane operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates crane operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our crane operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about crane operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 36,720 crane operators currently employed in the United States.
- 4.5% of all crane operators are women, while 95.5% are men.
- The average crane operator age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of crane operators is White (65.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.3%), Black or African American (10.5%) and Unknown (3.6%).
- Crane operators are most in-demand in Portland, OR.
- The energy industry is the highest-paying for crane operators.
- 2% of all crane operators are LGBT.
On this page
Crane operator demographics by:
Crane operator gender statistics
4.5% of crane operators are women and 95.5% of crane operators are men.
- Male, 95.5%
- Female, 4.5%
Crane operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 95.5% |
| Female | 4.5% |
Crane operator gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$55,954
Female income
$50,364
Crane operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in crane operator positions over time. Currently, 4.5% of crane operators are female.
Crane operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.43% | 1.57% |
| 2011 | 95.55% | 4.45% |
| 2012 | 95.16% | 4.84% |
| 2013 | 95.06% | 4.94% |
| 2014 | 92.80% | 7.20% |
| 2015 | 93.30% | 6.70% |
| 2016 | 95.64% | 4.36% |
| 2017 | 95.19% | 4.81% |
| 2018 | 90.07% | 9.93% |
| 2019 | 94.18% | 5.82% |
| 2020 | 95.30% | 4.70% |
| 2021 | 95.55% | 4.45% |
Crane operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared crane operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Crane Operator | 96% | 4% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Crane operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among crane operators is White, which makes up 65.4% of all crane operators. Comparatively, 18.3% of crane operators are Hispanic or Latino and 10.5% of crane operators are Black or African American.
- White, 65.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.3%
- Black or African American, 10.5%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
- Asian, 0.7%
Crane operator race
| Crane operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.5% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
| Asian | 0.7% |
Crane operator race and ethnicity over time
See how crane operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Crane operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.95% | 17.36% | 0.52% | 11.99% |
| 2011 | 68.80% | 13.77% | 0.85% | 15.28% |
| 2012 | 68.09% | 13.17% | 0.95% | 14.78% |
| 2013 | 70.71% | 14.62% | 1.27% | 10.93% |
| 2014 | 69.37% | 11.26% | 0.79% | 16.46% |
| 2015 | 68.28% | 15.49% | 0.73% | 13.16% |
| 2016 | 68.93% | 13.56% | 0.32% | 14.82% |
| 2017 | 69.58% | 13.80% | 0.59% | 14.08% |
| 2018 | 69.46% | 12.70% | 0.57% | 13.67% |
| 2019 | 69.20% | 11.91% | 2.07% | 14.38% |
| 2020 | 65.01% | 12.97% | 1.23% | 15.54% |
| 2021 | 65.37% | 10.49% | 0.70% | 18.30% |
Crane operator wage gap by race
According to our data, white crane operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american crane operators have the lowest average salary at $54,264.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $56,517 |
| White | $57,682 |
| Black or African American | $54,264 |
| Asian | $55,932 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,432 |
Average crane operator age
See how the average age of crane operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Crane operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | |
| White | 49 | |
| Black or African American | 48.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 50 |
Crane operator age breakdown
The average age of crane operators is 40+ years years old, representing 73% of the crane operator population.
Crane operator age breakdown
| Crane Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 73% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Crane operator educational attainment
The most common degree for crane operators is high school diploma, with 56% of crane operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 56%
- Associate, 14%
- Diploma, 13%
- Bachelor's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Crane operators by degree level
| Crane operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 56% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Bachelor's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Crane operator jobs you might like
Crane operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, crane operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $57,502 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, crane operators earn a median annual income of $56,578 compared to $55,574 for crane operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $55,574 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $56,578 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $57,502 |
Crane operator employment statistics
Most crane operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where crane operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where crane operators work.
Crane operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 32% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Crane operator jobs by company type
Employees with the crane operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most crane operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Crane operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 73% |
| Government | 2% |
Crane operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for crane operators are manufacturing, construction and energy.
Crane operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24% |
| Construction | 22% |
| Energy | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Crane operator turnover and employment statistics
Crane operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for crane operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Crane operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Crane operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.28% |
| 2011 | 9.36% |
| 2012 | 8.67% |
| 2013 | 6.09% |
| 2014 | 5.14% |
| 2015 | 3.73% |
| 2016 | 5.73% |
| 2017 | 4.62% |
| 2018 | 4.30% |
| 2019 | 3.10% |
| 2020 | 5.99% |
| 2021 | 6.25% |
Average crane operator tenure
The average crane operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 20,501 crane operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Crane operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Crane operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of crane operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Crane Operator | 1.94% | - |
| Baler | 3.85% | 8,979 |
| Garbage Worker | 4.13% | 19,825 |
| Boat Detailer | 4.59% | 5,994 |
| Hostler Helper | 4.67% | 13,483 |
| Food Packer | 6.68% | 64,278 |
| Spinning Doffer | 10.43% | 11 |
Similar crane operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baler | 3.85% | 8,979 |
| Garbage Worker | 4.13% | 19,825 |
| Boat Detailer | 4.59% | 5,994 |
| Hostler Helper | 4.67% | 13,483 |
| Food Packer | 6.68% | 64,278 |
| Spinning Doffer | 10.43% | 11 |
Foreign languages spoken by crane operators
The most common foreign language among crane operators is Spanish at 68.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Dakota at 6.8% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 3.9%.
- Spanish, 68.0%
- Dakota, 6.8%
- Arabic, 3.9%
- Carrier, 2.9%
- Polish, 2.9%
- Other, 15.5%
Crane operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 68.0% |
| Dakota | 6.8% |
| Arabic | 3.9% |
| Carrier | 2.9% |
| Polish | 2.9% |
| Other | 15.5% |
