Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018
53-7021 Crane and Tower Operators
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions. Excludes "Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators" (53-7032).
National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation
National estimates for this occupation: Top
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 44,410 |
2.8 % |
$27.96 |
$58,160 |
1.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$15.02 |
$19.11 |
$26.03 |
$34.10 |
$41.98 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$31,250 |
$39,750 |
$54,140 |
$70,940 |
$87,330 |
Industry profile for this occupation: Top
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
9,940 |
1.45 |
$33.43 |
$69,530 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) |
3,680 |
0.26 |
$20.29 |
$42,200 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation |
3,010 |
3.25 |
$27.99 |
$58,210 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing |
2,600 |
3.16 |
$23.55 |
$48,970 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction |
2,280 |
0.28 |
$33.10 |
$68,840 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction |
1,710 |
0.50 |
$35.66 |
$74,160 |
| Residential Building Construction |
90 |
0.01 |
$35.65 |
$74,150 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
9,940 |
1.45 |
$33.43 |
$69,530 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution |
140 |
0.04 |
$33.34 |
$69,350 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction |
2,280 |
0.28 |
$33.10 |
$68,840 |
Geographic profile for this occupation: Top
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
5,850 |
0.48 |
1.57 |
$26.68 |
$55,490 |
| California |
3,310 |
0.19 |
0.64 |
$30.70 |
$63,850 |
| Pennsylvania |
3,140 |
0.54 |
1.75 |
$25.05 |
$52,100 |
| Louisiana |
2,890 |
1.51 |
4.92 |
$25.00 |
$52,010 |
| Florida |
2,560 |
0.30 |
0.97 |
$26.64 |
$55,410 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Louisiana |
2,890 |
1.51 |
4.92 |
$25.00 |
$52,010 |
| Indiana |
2,080 |
0.68 |
2.22 |
$29.90 |
$62,180 |
| North Dakota |
280 |
0.67 |
2.17 |
$30.51 |
$63,450 |
| Mississippi |
660 |
0.59 |
1.92 |
$21.72 |
$45,180 |
| Pennsylvania |
3,140 |
0.54 |
1.75 |
$25.05 |
$52,100 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Hawaii |
120 |
0.19 |
0.62 |
$39.86 |
$82,910 |
| Alaska |
50 |
0.17 |
0.56 |
$37.15 |
$77,270 |
| Massachusetts |
600 |
0.17 |
0.55 |
$35.65 |
$74,160 |
| Washington |
1,350 |
0.41 |
1.35 |
$34.75 |
$72,270 |
| Oregon |
810 |
0.43 |
1.39 |
$33.88 |
$70,460 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
1,760 |
0.38 |
1.24 |
$26.56 |
$55,250 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
1,760 |
0.59 |
1.92 |
$26.27 |
$54,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
1,440 |
0.24 |
0.77 |
$31.13 |
$64,760 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
1,360 |
0.14 |
0.47 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
1,280 |
0.45 |
1.47 |
$28.43 |
$59,140 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
970 |
0.49 |
1.59 |
$36.06 |
$75,010 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA |
900 |
1.62 |
5.28 |
$24.18 |
$50,290 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
880 |
0.34 |
1.11 |
$27.10 |
$56,360 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
860 |
0.24 |
0.79 |
$27.63 |
$57,470 |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
850 |
2.14 |
6.98 |
$24.64 |
$51,260 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA |
290 |
3.48 |
11.36 |
$24.25 |
$50,450 |
| Corpus Christi, TX |
480 |
2.55 |
8.30 |
$32.02 |
$66,600 |
| Mobile, AL |
390 |
2.26 |
7.37 |
$26.57 |
$55,260 |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
850 |
2.14 |
6.98 |
$24.64 |
$51,260 |
| Owensboro, KY |
110 |
2.01 |
6.56 |
$25.90 |
$53,870 |
| Decatur, AL |
90 |
1.65 |
5.39 |
$20.32 |
$42,270 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA |
900 |
1.62 |
5.28 |
$24.18 |
$50,290 |
| Kankakee, IL |
60 |
1.29 |
4.22 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Evansville, IN-KY |
180 |
1.14 |
3.73 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL |
210 |
1.14 |
3.72 |
$29.52 |
$61,400 |
United States Department of Labor
