Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Tulsa, OK make a median of $76,400 a year, or about $36.73 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.21), which stretches that salary to about $85,641 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Tulsa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tulsa’s Regional Price Parity (89.21). 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 Tulsa
Tulsa sits well above the national pay line for crane and tower operators, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Tulsa offers a genuinely strong financial position for crane and tower operatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near Tulsa, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $59K | $65K |
| 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, Tulsa, OK
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. 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 Tulsa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tulsa?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Tulsa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,855/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Tulsa?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $76K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Tulsa compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Tulsa pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Tulsa, OK?
The median is $76,400 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,590, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $82,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Tulsa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,916/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 24.8% 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 Tulsa?
Tulsa has a Regional Price Parity of 89.21 (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 $85,641 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.