Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Reading, PA make a median of $98,860 a year, or about $47.53 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $101,855 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,575/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $99K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). 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 Reading
Reading sits well above the national pay line for crane and tower operators, local pay runs about 45% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,575/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.06) 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 Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $72K | $70K |
| Pittsburgh | $62K | $65K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $63K | $63K |
| Lancaster | $72K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $47K 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 Reading numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reading?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 25.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,575/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Reading?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,117/month. At HUD’s $1,575/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 Reading?
Local pay is 45% above the national median — $99K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Reading compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Reading pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Reading, PA?
The median is $98,860 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,950, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $98,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,242/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 25.2% 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 Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (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 $101,855 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.