Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Dubuque, IA
Crane and Tower Operators in Dubuque, IA make a median of $49,560 a year, or about $23.83 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $56,750 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month — about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $130K | +96% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $116K | +75% | 220 |
| Oregon | $110K | +66% | 460 |
| New York | $110K | +66% | 1,330 |
| District of Columbia | $106K | +60% | 50 |
| Washington | $97K | +46% | 890 |
| Montana | $92K | +38% | 90 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +33% | 740 |
| Connecticut | $87K | +31% | 260 |
| Alaska | $81K | +22% | 50 |
| Michigan | $77K | +16% | 1,210 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +15% | 480 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +15% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $75K | +13% | 220 |
| Vermont | $74K | +11% | 120 |
| Idaho | $73K | +11% | N/A |
| Texas | $73K | +10% | 6,650 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | +8% | 540 |
| South Dakota | $70K | +6% | 50 |
| Florida | $70K | +6% | 2,460 |
| California | $70K | +5% | 2,010 |
| Utah | $69K | +4% | 510 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | +3% | 730 |
| Arizona | $68K | +2% | 1,110 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +1% | 170 |
| Georgia | $67K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Nebraska | $67K | +1% | 290 |
| Maryland | $67K | +1% | 310 |
| Virginia | $65K | -1% | 1,280 |
| Kansas | $64K | -3% | 620 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | -4% | 190 |
| Delaware | $63K | -5% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -6% | 770 |
| Ohio | $62K | -6% | 2,120 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Maine | $61K | -8% | 430 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -8% | 1,750 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -8% | 110 |
| Indiana | $58K | -13% | 1,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -13% | 1,650 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -15% | 500 |
| Iowa | $56K | -16% | 570 |
| South Carolina | $55K | -17% | 980 |
| Kentucky | $55K | -17% | 770 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -18% | 200 |
| Illinois | $53K | -20% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $48K | -28% | 1,170 |
| Missouri | $47K | -30% | 470 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -36% | 670 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 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
How much do crane and tower operators make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $49,560 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,560, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $72,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,288/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 32.8% 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 Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median crane and tower operators salary is worth about $56,750 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.