Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Crane and Tower Operators in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $75,450 a year, or about $36.27 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $76,498 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 30% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $75K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $58K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do crane and tower operators make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $75,450 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,890, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $97,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,122/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 30.7% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 $76,498 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.