Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Virginia make a median of $66,600 a year, or about $32.02 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $70,261 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $67K get you in Virginia?
About crane and tower operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Virginia
Crane and tower operators pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $67K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Crane and Tower Operators salary by metro in Virginia
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $71K | +7% | 430 |
| Winchester | $63K | -5% | 40 |
| Richmond | $61K | -8% | 170 |
| Roanoke | $53K | -21% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track crane and tower operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,563/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $67K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Virginia pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Virginia?
The median is $66,600 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,720, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $88,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,327/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 38% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $70,261 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.