Crane and Tower Operators Salary
Crane and Tower Operators in Winston-Salem, NC make a median of $67,280 a year, or about $32.35 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.04), which stretches that salary to about $73,099 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,232/month, or 27.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $67K get you in Winston-Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Winston-Salem’s Regional Price Parity (92.04). 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 Winston-Salem
Crane and tower operators pay in Winston-Salem tracks closely to the national median, $67K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,232/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.04 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for crane and tower operators in metros near Winston-Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $63K | $65K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $73K | $74K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $65K | $70K |
| Wilmington | $69K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Winston-Salem, NC
Entry-level crane and tower operators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $37K 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 Winston-Salem numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane and tower operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Winston-Salem?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,232/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for crane and tower operators in Winston-Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crane and tower operators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,647/month. At HUD’s $1,232/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Winston-Salem?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $67K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Winston-Salem compare to the national average for crane and tower operators?
Winston-Salem pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crane and tower operators make in Winston-Salem, NC?
The median is $67,280 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,120, and experienced crane and tower operators can clear $81,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Winston-Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,391/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,232/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 92.04 (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 $73,099 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.