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Salary comparison

Crane and Tower Operators vs. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: Who Earns More?

Crane and Tower Operatorss out-earn Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands by $28K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Crane and Tower Operatorss land at $68,080 and Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands at $40,240. The education gap is real: crane and tower operator programs typically require no formal educational credential, while laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Crane and Tower Operatorss is Hawaii ($124,260); for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands it's Minnesota ($46,280).

Crane and Tower Operators
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median salary
$68,080
$40,240
Hourly rate
$32.73/hr
$19.35/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$42,640
$31,270
Senior level (90th %)
$103,570
$55,140
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
42,890
2,950,280
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Hawaii
Minnesota

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Crane and Tower Operators median pay.

State
Crane and Tower Operators
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Hawaii
$124,260
$44,120
Washington
$101,110
$46,190
Massachusetts
$98,150
$44,920
Alaska
$92,490
$44,510
New York
$85,850
$44,630
Oregon
$83,260
$44,750
North Dakota
$82,890
$45,690
Montana
$82,800
$43,840
Connecticut
$81,360
$43,640
Minnesota
$80,930
$46,280
California
$79,570
$44,710
Colorado
$77,120
$45,370
Wisconsin
$67,720
$44,610
Iowa
$67,600
$43,490
Arizona
$67,350
$44,290

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Crane and Tower Operatorss or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands?

Crane and Tower Operatorss earn more nationally. The median is $68,080 for Crane and Tower Operatorss versus $40,240 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands, a difference of $28K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Crane and Tower Operators or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Crane and Tower Operators or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

Crane and Tower Operators typically requires no formal educational credential. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Crane and Tower Operatorss get paid the most?

Hawaii is the top-paying state for Crane and Tower Operatorss at $124,260/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Crane and Tower Operators vs. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Hawaii, Crane and Tower Operatorss earn $124,260 vs. $44,120 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Crane and Tower Operators salary breakdownView →Full Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salary breakdownView →Best cities for Crane and Tower Operatorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands by take-home payExplore →How to become a crane and tower operatorsGuide →How to become a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, handGuide →