Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Texas make a median of $73,280 a year, or about $35.23 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $80,096 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 27.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $73K get you in Texas?
About crane and tower operators
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What this looks like in Texas
Crane and tower operators pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $73K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators salary by metro in Texas
17 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $79K | +8% | 150 |
| Killeen-Temple | $76K | +4% | 40 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $76K | +3% | 2,100 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $75K | +3% | 230 |
| Odessa | $75K | +3% | 90 |
| Corpus Christi | $74K | +1% | 330 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $73K | -0% | 240 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $69K | -6% | 1,310 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $68K | -7% | 270 |
| El Paso | $62K | -15% | 120 |
| Waco | $61K | -16% | 50 |
| Longview | $61K | -17% | N/A |
| College Station-Bryan | $61K | -17% | 40 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $56K | -23% | 50 |
| Tyler | $56K | -24% | 30 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $54K | -26% | 30 |
| San Angelo | $46K | -37% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 17 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 28.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,567/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Texas pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Texas?
The median is $73,280 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,790, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $93,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 28.3% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $80,096 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.