Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in New York make a median of $85,850 a year, or about $41.27 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $217K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $87,415 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $86K get you in New York?
About crane and tower operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New York
New York sits well above the national pay line for crane and tower operators, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $217K or more, a $167K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators salary by metro in New York
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $101K | +17% | 1,500 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $75K | -13% | 60 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $73K | -15% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track crane and tower operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,968/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 York?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $86K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does New York compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
New York pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in New York?
The median is $85,850 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,460, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $216,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,389/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 35.6% 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 York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $87,415 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.