Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA make a median of $89,880 a year, or about $43.21 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $88,317 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,729/month, about 30.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $90K get you in Providence-Warwick?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Providence-Warwick’s Regional Price Parity (101.77). 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 Providence-Warwick
Providence-Warwick sits well above the national pay line for crane and tower operators, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,729/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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 Providence-Warwick, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $98K | $91K |
| Worcester | $122K | $119K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $98K | $95K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $71K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $73K 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 Providence-Warwick numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Providence-Warwick?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,729/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 Providence-Warwick?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,302/month. At HUD’s $1,729/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $90K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Providence-Warwick compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Providence-Warwick pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
The median is $89,880 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,030, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $127,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Providence-Warwick?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,713/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,729/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Providence-Warwick has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $88,317 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.