Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in New Haven, CT make a median of $99,130 a year, or about $47.66 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.56), that's roughly $94,807 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,969/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $99K get you in New Haven?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Haven’s Regional Price Parity (104.56). 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 New Haven
New Haven 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 $1,969/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 104.56) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near New Haven, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $98K | $95K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $71K | $71K |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $78K | $73K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $101K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Haven, CT
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $54K 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 with published data
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 New Haven numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Haven?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,969/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 New Haven?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,184/month. At HUD’s $1,969/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 New Haven?
Local pay is 46% above the national median — $99K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does New Haven compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
New Haven pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +46%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in New Haven, CT?
The median is $99,130 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,070, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $106,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in New Haven?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,094/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,969/month, which eats 32.3% 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 New Haven?
New Haven has a Regional Price Parity of 104.56 (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 $94,807 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.