Crane and Tower Operators · SOC 53-7021
Crane and Tower Operators Salary in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Crane and Tower Operators in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $47,150 per year ($22.67 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $43,360 at the 10th percentile to $72,130 at the 90th. BLS estimates 50 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Crane and Tower Operators in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area earn more than $47,150 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $43,360 and $70,870.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $43,360 | $43,360 | $47,150 | $70,870 | $72,130 |
| Hourly | $20.85 | $20.85 | $22.67 | $34.07 | $34.68 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area$47,150 median for Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $43,360 to $70,870
- Pennsylvaniastate$65,190 median for Pennsylvania; middle half earns $53,770 to $75,070
- United Statesnational$68,080 median for United States; middle half earns $52,600 to $83,200
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −28% vs Pennsylvania overall and −31% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for crane and tower operators, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan areathis page$47,150 median for Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $43,360 to $70,870
- $98,860 median for Reading metro area; middle half earns $61,610 to $98,860
- $72,150 median for Lancaster metro area; middle half earns $58,370 to $74,270
- $72,010 median for Philadelphia metro area; middle half earns $60,160 to $94,350
- $71,770 median for Scranton metro area; middle half earns $56,610 to $72,030
- $63,680 median for York metro area; middle half earns $50,600 to $73,190
- $63,190 median for Allentown metro area; middle half earns $47,350 to $75,840
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for crane and tower operatorss · Highest-paying occupations in Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.