Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Tower climber salary
Average tower climber salary
$41,248
Average Tower Climber Salary
The average salary for a tower climber as of October 2025 is approximately $41,248 annually. Hourly wages average around $20. These figures can vary based on several factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific employer.
How Much Does a Tower Climber Make?
Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced climbers can earn significantly more. For instance, those with specialized skills or certifications may command higher wages.
Where Can a Tower Climber Earn More?
Top-paying states for tower climbers include locations with high demand for telecommunications services. For example, states like California and Texas often provide higher salary ranges due to numerous job opportunities.
Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Various online resources provide salary estimates for tower climbers, which can reflect local market conditions and company standards. It's beneficial to compare these figures for a clearer understanding.
Let Zippi find your next tower climber job
Let Zippi find your next tower climber job
Where can a Tower Climber earn more?
Tower climber salaries by experience level
Tower climber salary estimates from across the web
Average tower climber salary by state
The average tower climber salary in California, Alaska, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average tower climber salary states are Mississippi, Florida, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for tower climbers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $51,031 | $24.53 |
| 2 | California | $52,660 | $25.32 |
| 3 | Oregon | $42,907 | $20.63 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $40,399 | $19.42 |
| 5 | Washington | $44,428 | $21.36 |
| 6 | Arizona | $39,487 | $18.98 |
| 7 | Michigan | $38,815 | $18.66 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $41,734 | $20.06 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $39,760 | $19.12 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $37,975 | $18.26 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $40,817 | $19.62 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $35,675 | $17.15 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $41,562 | $19.98 |
| 14 | Colorado | $38,851 | $18.68 |
| 15 | Maryland | $40,184 | $19.32 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $41,725 | $20.06 |
| 17 | Illinois | $39,084 | $18.79 |
| 18 | Maine | $36,984 | $17.78 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $40,143 | $19.30 |
| 20 | Utah | $37,704 | $18.13 |
| 21 | Montana | $38,564 | $18.54 |
| 22 | Idaho | $38,898 | $18.70 |
| 23 | Virginia | $37,715 | $18.13 |
| 24 | New York | $39,260 | $18.88 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $37,889 | $18.22 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $38,914 | $18.71 |
| 27 | Vermont | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 28 | Ohio | $37,053 | $17.81 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $36,743 | $17.66 |
| 30 | Texas | $36,807 | $17.70 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $36,419 | $17.51 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $35,971 | $17.29 |
| 33 | Kansas | $36,254 | $17.43 |
| 34 | Missouri | $36,457 | $17.53 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $33,789 | $16.24 |
| 36 | Iowa | $35,578 | $17.10 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $36,075 | $17.34 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $34,529 | $16.60 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $33,638 | $16.17 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $34,093 | $16.39 |
| 41 | Indiana | $34,393 | $16.54 |
| 42 | Florida | $32,307 | $15.53 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $32,206 | $15.48 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $34,992 | $16.82 |
| 45 | Georgia | $31,121 | $14.96 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $32,522 | $15.64 |
| 47 | Delaware | $34,257 | $16.47 |
| 48 | Nevada | $32,782 | $15.76 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $33,934 | $16.31 |
| 50 | Alabama | $27,955 | $13.44 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $29,719 | $14.29 |
Highest paying cities for tower climbers
The highest-paying cities for tower climbers are Sacramento, CA, Auburn, WA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $53,283 | $25.62 |
| 2 | Auburn, WA | $44,567 | $21.43 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $42,744 | $20.55 |
| 4 | Brockton, MA | $40,875 | $19.65 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $40,374 | $19.41 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $39,670 | $19.07 |
| 7 | Syracuse, NY | $38,971 | $18.74 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $38,886 | $18.70 |
| 9 | Concord, NH | $38,849 | $18.68 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $38,832 | $18.67 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $38,127 | $18.33 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,618 | $18.09 |
| 13 | Portland, ME | $37,058 | $17.82 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $36,829 | $17.71 |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $36,739 | $17.66 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $36,576 | $17.58 |
| 17 | Saint Charles, MO | $36,571 | $17.58 |
| 18 | Lenexa, KS | $36,412 | $17.51 |
| 19 | Milwaukee, WI | $36,368 | $17.48 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $34,991 | $16.82 |
Tower climber salary details
A tower climber's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a tower climber's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $41,248 | $3,437 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying tower climber jobs
The highest paying types of tower climbers are switch technician, telecom technician, and communications technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Installer | $41,581 | $3,465 | $19.99 | 72,465 |
| Communications Technician | $52,222 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 125,698 |
| Installation Technician | $38,043 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 129,534 |
| Broadband Technician | $41,187 | $3,432 | $19.80 | 108,109 |
| Telecommunications Technician | $41,935 | $3,495 | $20.16 | 70,494 |
| Cable Technician | $47,289 | $3,941 | $22.74 | 120,249 |
Top companies hiring tower climbers now:
Which companies pay tower climbers the most?
Tower climber salaries at General Dynamics Mission Systems and Parsons are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average tower climber salary at companies like KCI Technologies and General Dynamics are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $74,355 | $35.75 |
| 2 | Parsons | $51,800 | $24.90 |
| 3 | KCI Technologies | $50,965 | $24.50 |
| 4 | General Dynamics | $46,747 | $22.47 |
| 5 | EMCOR Group | $46,584 | $22.40 |
| 6 | DISH Network | $44,413 | $21.35 |
| 7 | GPAC | $41,978 | $20.18 |
| 8 | Nes Holdings | $41,287 | $19.85 |
| 9 | Bechtel Corporation | $41,151 | $19.78 |
| 10 | Tower Systems | $39,122 | $18.81 |
| 11 | Tradesmen International | $38,857 | $18.68 |
| 12 | Wireless Links | $28,297 | $13.60 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Tower Climber salary by industry
The average tower climber salary varies across industries:
- The average tower climber salary in the telecommunication industry is $46,623, the highest of any industry.
- The average tower climber salary in the finance industry is $44,094.
- Tower climbers in the retail industry earn an average salary of $35,910, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for tower climbers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $46,623 | $22.41 |
| 2 | Transportation | $44,094 | $21.20 |
| 3 | Internet | $43,035 | $20.69 |
| 4 | Construction | $39,480 | $18.98 |
| 5 | Retail | $35,910 | $17.26 |
High paying tower climber jobs
Tower climber salary trends
The average tower climber salary has risen by $5,039 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average tower climber earned $36,209 annually, but today, they earn $41,248 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for tower climbers over the last decade.
Compare tower climber salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average tower climber salary over time
Compare tower climber salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Tower climber salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,200 | $19.83 | +5.8% |
| 2024 | $38,900 | $18.68 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $37,600 | $18.10 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | $35,800 | $17.22 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | $36,000 | $17.30 | -1.7% |
Recently added tower climber salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tradesmen International | Tower Climber | Carmel, IN | 06/12/2025 | $66,784 |
| Zunch Staffing | Wireless Tower Climber | Yakima, WA | 06/10/2025 | $42,000 |
| Tradesmen International | Tower Climber | Carmel, IN | 05/12/2025 | $66,784 |
| Tradesmen International | Tower Climber | Carmel, IN | 04/13/2025 | $66,784 |
| Zunch Staffing | Wireless Tower Climber | Yakima, WA | 03/27/2025 | $42,000 |
| Tradesmen International | Tower Climber | Carmel, IN | 03/09/2025 | $66,784 |
| Augusta Tower | Tower Climber | Grand Rapids, MI | 02/19/2025 | $37,566 |
| Zunch Staffing | Wireless Tower Climber | Yakima, WA | 02/19/2025 | $42,000 |
| Zunch Staffing | Wireless Tower Climber | Yakima, WA | 01/30/2025 | $42,000 |
| Vertex Tower Solutions | Tower Climber | Bozeman, MT | 01/17/2025 | $58,436 |
Tower climber salary FAQs
Search for tower climber jobs