Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA make a median of $99,320 a year, or about $47.75 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.61), so that salary is closer to $94,044 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,031/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $99K get you in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard’s Regional Price Parity (105.61). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About crane and tower operators
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What this looks like in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard sits well above the national pay line for crane and tower operators, local pay runs about 46% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $2,031/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.61), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $114K | $103K |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $117K | $114K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $80K | $79K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $120K | $120K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Crane and Tower Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $124K | +83% | 190 |
| Nevada | $116K | +70% | 380 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | +53% | N/A |
| Washington | $101K | +49% | 1,030 |
| New Jersey | $101K | +48% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $98K | +44% | 680 |
| Alaska | $92K | +36% | 50 |
| Maryland | $88K | +29% | N/A |
| New York | $86K | +26% | 1,150 |
| Oregon | $83K | +22% | 340 |
| North Dakota | $83K | +22% | 180 |
| Montana | $83K | +22% | 30 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +20% | 220 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +19% | 370 |
| California | $80K | +17% | 2,130 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +15% | 230 |
| Colorado | $77K | +13% | 470 |
| Kansas | $77K | +13% | 780 |
| Texas | $73K | +8% | 6,010 |
| Vermont | $73K | +7% | 170 |
| Florida | $72K | +5% | 2,570 |
| South Dakota | $71K | +4% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | -1% | 440 |
| Iowa | $68K | -1% | 650 |
| Utah | $67K | -1% | 440 |
| Arizona | $67K | -1% | 930 |
| Virginia | $67K | -2% | 1,120 |
| Maine | $66K | -4% | 360 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | -4% | 1,630 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -5% | 1,050 |
| South Carolina | $64K | -6% | 720 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -7% | 620 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | -7% | 170 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -8% | 290 |
| Georgia | $62K | -9% | 1,370 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -9% | 640 |
| Illinois | $62K | -9% | 1,220 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -10% | 550 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -10% | 1,930 |
| Alabama | $61K | -11% | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -11% | 410 |
| Delaware | $60K | -12% | 220 |
| Michigan | $60K | -12% | 1,310 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -13% | 660 |
| Missouri | $58K | -14% | 630 |
| Ohio | $58K | -15% | 1,780 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -19% | 170 |
| Indiana | $53K | -22% | 2,300 |
| Idaho | $53K | -22% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $42K | -39% | 880 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track crane and tower operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,031/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,789/month. At HUD’s $2,031/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is crane and tower operator a high-paying job in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
Local pay is 46% above the national median — $99K here vs. $68K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +46%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA?
The median is $99,320 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,810, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $128,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,522/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,031/month, which eats 31.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a crane and tower operators salary go in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard?
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard has a Regional Price Parity of 105.61 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median crane and tower operators salary is worth about $94,044 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do crane and tower operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.