Crane and Tower Operators pay in California

In California, the median pay for crane and tower operators is $38.25 an hour ($79,570 a year). About 2,130 people work in this job there.

$38.25Median hourly pay

$66,620–$100,860Middle half of workers, yearly

2,130People in this job in California

That is 17% higher than the U.S. median ($68,080). California ranks 15th of 50 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for crane and tower operators in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$24.30	$50,550
25% of workers	$32.03	$66,620
Half of workers (median)	$38.25	$79,570
75% of workers	$48.49	$100,860
90% of workers	$65.30	$135,820

Crane and Tower Operators pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$98,410	240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$81,490	590
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$79,720	210
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$78,310	50
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$78,140	260
Fresno	$77,330	50
Vallejo	$77,320	30
Stockton-Lodi	$77,130	50
Bakersfield-Delano	$70,840	160
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$64,500	170

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for crane and tower operators

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: +3.8% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 3,500 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	$47,770
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	$87,160
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	$78,550
Riggers	$85,730
Continuous Mining Machine Operators	$62,790
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining	$74,500
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand	$44,710
Stockers and Order Fillers	$42,870

Other job titles for this job

Cell Tower TechnicianCell Tower TechAcid Crane OperatorBoom Cat OperatorBoom Crane OperatorBoomswing OperatorBottom Crane OperatorBridge Crane OperatorBurial Vault DelivererBurial Vault InstallerCantilever Crane OperatorCertified Crane Operator

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.