Yard crane operator vs hot metal crane operator

The differences between yard crane operators and hot metal 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 hot metal crane operator. Additionally, a hot metal crane operator has an average salary of $61,860, which is higher than the $43,991 average annual salary of a yard crane operator.

The top three skills for a yard crane operator include cranes, hoisting and yard operations. The most important skills for a hot metal crane operator are cranes, safety procedures, and .

Yard crane operator vs hot metal crane operator overview

	Yard Crane Operator	Hot Metal Crane Operator
Yearly salary	$43,991	$61,860
Hourly rate	$21.15	$29.74
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	33,817	28,906
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 79%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Yard crane operator vs hot metal crane operator salary

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

	Yard Crane Operator	Hot Metal Crane Operator
Average salary	$43,991	$61,860
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $71,000	Between $33,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between yard crane operator and hot metal crane operator education

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

	Yard Crane Operator	Hot Metal Crane Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 62%	High School Diploma, 79%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Yard crane operator vs hot metal crane operator demographics

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

	Yard Crane Operator	Hot Metal Crane Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%	Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5%
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, 6.7% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 0.7% White, 73.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between yard crane operator and hot metal 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.

Hot metal crane operator example responsibilities.

Wear a variety of PPE to be safe on the job including steel toe shoes.
Charge AOD vessel with molten steel, continuous cast and bottom teeming.
Work directly with the EAF operator to safely and efficiently charge the EAF and change electrodes.
Coordinate all safety efforts with management to meet or exceed requirements of client specifications and OSHA regulations.
Involve in the training of new employees on crane operation and also working in and around the electric arc furnaces.
Operate 70-ton overhead crane in lifting/transporting coils of aluminum for production processing.

Yard crane operator vs hot metal crane operator skills

Common yard crane operator skills

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

Common hot metal crane operator skills

Cranes, 62%
Safety Procedures, 38%

Yard Crane Operator vs. similar jobs

Yard Crane Operator related careers

Yard Crane Operator related jobs

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Transportation Industry
Yard Crane Operator
Yard Crane Operator vs Hot Metal Crane Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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