Yard crane operator vs boom crane operator

The differences between yard crane operators and boom crane 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 yard crane operator and a boom crane operator. Additionally, a yard crane operator has an average salary of $43,991, which is higher than the $42,595 average annual salary of a boom crane operator.

The top three skills for a yard crane operator include cranes, hoisting and yard operations. The most important skills for a boom crane operator are hoisting, construction materials, and cranes.

Yard crane operator vs boom crane operator overview

	Yard Crane Operator	Boom Crane Operator
Yearly salary	$43,991	$42,595
Hourly rate	$21.15	$20.48
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	33,817	30,133
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Yard crane operator vs boom crane operator salary

Yard crane operators and boom crane operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Yard Crane Operator	Boom Crane Operator
Average salary	$43,991	$42,595
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $71,000	Between $26,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between yard crane operator and boom crane operator education

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

	Yard Crane Operator	Boom Crane Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Yard crane operator vs boom crane operator demographics

Here are the differences between yard crane operators' and boom crane operators' demographics:

	Yard Crane Operator	Boom Crane Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 0.7% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 0.7% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between yard crane operator and boom crane operator duties and responsibilities

Yard crane operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Perform daily preventative maintenance on mobile crane.
Set aluminum panels to pour concrete foundation.

Boom crane operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Provide safe and efficient transportation for disable Marta customers.

Yard crane operator vs boom crane operator skills

Common yard crane operator skills

Cranes, 54%
Hoisting, 34%
Yard Operations, 5%
Rail Cars, 4%
Bobcat, 3%

Common boom crane operator skills

Hoisting, 42%
Construction Materials, 29%
Cranes, 10%
CDL, 7%
Safety Procedures, 4%
Building Materials, 3%

Yard Crane Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Yard Crane Operator
Yard Crane Operator vs Boom Crane Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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