Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Oklahoma City, OK make a median of $59,110 a year, or about $28.42 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.41), which stretches that salary to about $65,380 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,244/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Oklahoma City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oklahoma City’s Regional Price Parity (90.41). 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 Oklahoma City
Pay for crane and tower operators in Oklahoma City runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,244/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.41 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near Oklahoma City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $76K | $86K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $46K | $51K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $42K | $47K |
| Longview | $61K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma City, OK
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $41K 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 Oklahoma City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,244/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Oklahoma City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,448/month. At HUD’s $1,244/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Oklahoma City?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $59K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma City compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Oklahoma City pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Oklahoma City, OK?
The median is $59,110 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,800, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $81,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Oklahoma City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,935/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,244/month, which eats 31.6% 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 Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City has a Regional Price Parity of 90.41 (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 $65,380 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.