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Crane operator salary in California

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$79,570median pay per year in California, or $38.25 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $50,550lowest 10% earn less
  2. $66,62025th percentile
  3. $79,570median
  4. $100,86075th percentile
  5. $135,820top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $68,080[3]

The median pay for a crane operator in California was $79,570 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $11,490 above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
2,130[4]
Rank by median pay
15 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+16.9%[6]

How much do crane operators make in California?

The median is the middle point. In California, half of crane operators earned more than $79,570 a year, or $38.25 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a little higher at $87,030 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $68,080 a year[3]. All jobs in California had a median of $58,240[8], so crane operators earned $21,330 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of crane operators in California earned less than $50,550 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $135,820[2]. In hourly terms, those two boundaries were $24.30 and $65.30[10]. The middle half of pay ran from $66,620 to $100,860 a year[2].

Among metro areas, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $98,410 a year[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $81,490 and about 590 jobs[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. The self-employed are left out, and so are bonuses outside regular production pay and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].

California vs US pay

Pay for crane operators in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$79,570[1]$68,080[3]
Median per hour$38.25[1]$32.73[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$50,550[2]$42,640[14]
Top 10% earn more than$135,820[2]$103,570[14]
Jobs2,130[4]42,890[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for crane operators, and the median pay in each[12].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[12]$81,490590
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$78,140260
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$98,410240
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$79,720210
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$64,500170
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$70,840160
Fresno, CA$77,33050
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$78,31050

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for crane operators in the states that border California, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Nevada[15]$115,840380
Oregon$83,260340
Arizona$67,350930

Median pay for crane operators in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for crane operators are projected to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a crane operator make in California?
The median was $79,570 a year in May 2025, and the average was $87,030[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,550 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $135,820[2].
How much does a crane operator make an hour in California?
The median was $38.25 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $24.30 an hour and the 90th percentile was $65.30[10].
Which city in California pays crane operators the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage among California metro areas with a published figure, at $98,410[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $81,490[12].
Is California a good state for crane operators?
California had the 15th highest median annual wage for crane operators out of 50 states[5]. Its median of $79,570 was above the US median of $68,080[6]. Nevada, next door, had a median of $115,840[15].
What do you need to become a crane operator in California?
These are US figures, not California ones. Across the US, the typical entry path is a high school diploma or equivalent, less than 5 years of related work experience, and moderate-term on-the-job training[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crane and Tower Operators in California was $79,570 per year and $38.25 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crane and Tower Operators in California: 10th percentile $50,550, 25th percentile $66,620, 75th percentile $100,860, 90th percentile $135,820. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crane and Tower Operators in the US as a whole was $68,080 per year and $32.73 per hour, with about 42,890 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,130 people worked as Crane and Tower Operators in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 15th highest median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators out of the 50 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in California ($79,570) was $11,490 (16.9%) higher than the US median ($68,080). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Crane and Tower Operators in California was $87,030 per year and $41.84 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in California was $21,330 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Crane and Tower Operators in California: 10th percentile $24.30, 25th percentile $32.03, 75th percentile $48.49, 90th percentile $65.30. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 10 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Crane and Tower Operators, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $98,410. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crane and Tower Operators in the US: 10th percentile $42,640, 25th percentile $52,600, 75th percentile $83,200, 90th percentile $103,570. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in states that border California (highest first): Nevada $115,840; Oregon $83,260; Arizona $67,350. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Crane and Tower Operators is projected to grow 3.8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Crane and Tower Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.