Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in College Station-Bryan, TX make a median of $60,520 a year, or about $29.09 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers.
So what does $61K get you in College Station-Bryan?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by College Station-Bryan’s Regional Price Parity (91). 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 College Station-Bryan
Pay for crane and tower operators in College Station-Bryan runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $68K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $974/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, College Station-Bryan can be a reasonable trade-off for crane and tower operatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near College Station-Bryan, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Longview | $61K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $76K | , |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $69K | , |
| Corpus Christi | $74K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, College Station-Bryan, TX
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $40K 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 College Station-Bryan?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $974/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in College Station-Bryan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,739/month. At HUD’s $974/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 College Station-Bryan?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $61K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does College Station-Bryan compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
College Station-Bryan pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in College Station-Bryan, TX?
The median is $60,520 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,650, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $85,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in College Station-Bryan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $974/month, which eats 23.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a crane and tower operators salary go in College Station-Bryan?
College Station-Bryan has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median crane and tower operators salary is worth about $66,505 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.