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Job outlook for crane operators in the United States
Crane operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected crane operator job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for crane operators are projected over the next decade.
Crane operator salaries have increased 14% for crane operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 36,720 crane operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 34,918 active crane operator job openings in the US.
The average crane operator salary is $54,275.
Are crane operator jobs in demand?
Yes, crane operator jobs are in demand. Crane operator demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Crane operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of crane operator jobs and the average crane operator salary over time.
Crane operator jobs over time
Crane operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,720 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 37,278 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 38,479 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 37,574 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 36,940 | 0.01% |
Average crane operator salary over time
Crane operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,275 | $26.09 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | $51,530 | $24.77 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $49,212 | $23.66 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $47,449 | $22.81 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $47,422 | $22.80 | +1.0% |
Crane operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of crane operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where crane operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for crane operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,213 | 18% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 127 | 18% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 153 | 14% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 95 | 13% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 884 | 10% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 93 | 9% |
| 7 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 95 | 7% |
| 8 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 126 | 3% |
| 9 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 52 | 3% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 219 | 2% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 191 | 2% |
| 12 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 110 | 2% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 70 | 2% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 62 | 2% |
| 15 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 48 | 2% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 32 | 2% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 23 | 2% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 18 | 2% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 17 | 2% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 9 | 2% |
Most common cities for crane operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monroe | 2 | 6% | $44,459 |
| 2 | Vancouver | 7 | 4% | $76,648 |
| 3 | Alabaster | 1 | 3% | $37,257 |
| 4 | American Fork | 1 | 3% | $52,810 |
| 5 | Eagle Mountain | 1 | 3% | $52,936 |
| 6 | Lafayette | 2 | 2% | $52,131 |
| 7 | Sandy Springs | 2 | 2% | $47,993 |
| 8 | Colton | 1 | 2% | $69,281 |
| 9 | Draper | 1 | 2% | $52,812 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids | 2 | 1% | $39,498 |
| 11 | Billings | 1 | 1% | $49,492 |
| 12 | Erie | 1 | 1% | $41,688 |
| 13 | Columbus | 2 | 0% | $43,619 |
| 14 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $47,968 |
| 15 | Cleveland | 1 | 0% | $46,792 |