Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Maine make a median of $65,690 a year, or about $31.58 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $67,236 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $66K get you in Maine?
About crane and tower operators
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What this looks like in Maine
Crane and tower operators pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $66K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,281/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $75K | +14% | 170 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $74K | +13% | 30 |
| Bangor | $47K | -29% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track crane and tower operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,719/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $66K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Maine pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Maine?
The median is $65,690 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,310, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $90,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,282/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $67,236 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.