Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area make a median of $72,800 a year, or about $35 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers.
So what does $73K get you in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $35K 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 25.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,180/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,914/month.
Is crane and tower operator a high-paying job in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +7%.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $72,800 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,560, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $83,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,656/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,180/month, which eats 25.3% 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area?
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median crane and tower operators salary is worth about $72,800 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.