Woodyard crane operator vs tower operator

The differences between woodyard 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 woodyard crane operator and a tower operator. Additionally, a woodyard crane operator has an average salary of $59,241, which is higher than the $38,634 average annual salary of a tower operator.

The top three skills for a woodyard crane operator include rail cars, safety procedures and routine maintenance. The most important skills for a tower operator are motor vehicle, tow truck, and tire changes.

Woodyard crane operator vs tower operator overview

	Woodyard Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Yearly salary	$59,241	$38,634
Hourly rate	$28.48	$18.57
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	26,210	30,992
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 71%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Woodyard crane operator vs tower operator salary

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

	Woodyard Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Average salary	$59,241	$38,634
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $110,000	Between $25,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Reckitt Benckiser
Best paying industry	-	Transportation

Differences between woodyard crane operator and tower operator education

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

	Woodyard Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 71%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Woodyard crane operator vs tower operator demographics

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

	Woodyard Crane Operator	Tower Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 0.7% White, 73.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	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 woodyard crane operator and tower operator duties and responsibilities

Woodyard crane operator example responsibilities.

Train and experience in the operation of heavy equipment such as bulldozers and forklifts.
Keep track of all incoming materials in wood yard (chips, shavings, plytrim, and fuel).
Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Operate Allen Bradley screens for Stacker/Reclaimer.
Set aluminum panels to pour concrete foundation.

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.

Woodyard crane operator vs tower operator skills

Common woodyard crane operator skills

Rail Cars, 48%
Safety Procedures, 32%
Routine Maintenance, 20%

Common tower operator skills

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

Woodyard Crane Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Woodyard Crane Operator
Woodyard Crane Operator vs Tower Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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