How much does a crane operator make in Florida?

The median was $71,560 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $94,170.

Which city in Florida pays crane operators the most?

Naples-Marco Island had the top median among the 11 metro areas with a published figure, at $81,280 a year. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had $78,100.

Is Florida a good state for crane operators?

Florida ranked 21st out of 50 states for median pay. Its median was 5.1% above the US median.

What do you need to become a crane operator in Florida?

This is a US figure, not a Florida one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with less than 5 years of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training.

All careers › Crane and Tower Operators › Florida

Crane operator salary in Florida

Updated November 1, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$71,560median pay per year in Florida, or $34.40 an hour, May 2025^[1]

$47,840lowest 10% earn less
$58,95025th percentile
$71,560median
$81,12075th percentile
$94,170top 10% earn more

Middle half of workers in the inner band^[2]US median for this job, $68,080^[3]

The median pay for crane operators in Florida was $71,560 a year^[1]. That was $3,480 above the US median^[6].

Jobs in FL: 2,570^[4]
Rank by median pay: 21 of 50^[5]
Compared with US median: +5.1%^[6]

How much do crane operators make in Florida?

The median pay for crane operators in Florida was $71,560 a year, or $34.40 an hour^[1]. That means half of these workers earned more and half earned less.

Across the US, the median was $68,080^[3], so Florida sat $3,480 (5.1%) higher^[6]. Among all jobs in the state, the median was $47,880^[7], and crane operators earned $23,680 more than that^[8]. Florida ranked 21st out of the 50 states with a published median^[5].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840^[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $94,170^[2]. Of the 11 metro areas with a published median, Naples-Marco Island had the top figure at $81,280^[9]. Among the metros with the biggest job counts, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had $78,100^[10] and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater had $77,420^[10].

OEWS counts part-time and full-time workers who are paid a wage or salary. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners, and it does not add bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance^[11].

Florida vs US pay

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

	FL	US
Median per year	$71,560^[1]	$68,080^[3]
Median per hour	$34.40^[1]	$32.73^[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than	$47,840^[2]	$42,640^[12]
Top 10% earn more than	$94,170^[2]	$103,570^[12]
Jobs	2,570^[4]	42,890^[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

Metro areas in Florida with the most jobs for crane operators, and the median pay in each^[10].

Metro area	Median per year	Jobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL^[10]	$78,100	530
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$77,420	370
Jacksonville, FL	$64,600	340
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$72,880	300
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	$76,510	190
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$77,010	160
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$63,780	100
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$60,010	80

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for crane operators in the states that border Florida, highest first^[13].

State	Median per year	Jobs
Georgia^[13]	$62,050	1,370
Alabama	$60,790	1,280

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^[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent^[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a crane operator make in Florida?: The median was $71,560 a year^[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $94,170^[2].
How much does a crane operator make an hour in Florida?: The median was $34.40 an hour^[1].
Which city in Florida pays crane operators the most?: Naples-Marco Island had the top median among the 11 metro areas with a published figure, at $81,280 a year^[9]. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had $78,100^[10].
Is Florida a good state for crane operators?: Florida ranked 21st out of 50 states for median pay^[5]. Its median was 5.1% above the US median^[6].
What do you need to become a crane operator in Florida?: This is a US figure, not a Florida one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with less than 5 years of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training^[15].

Facts and sources

BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Florida was $71,560 per year and $34.40 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crane and Tower Operators in Florida: 10th percentile $47,840, 25th percentile $58,950, 75th percentile $81,120, 90th percentile $94,170. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,570 people worked as Crane and Tower Operators in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 21st highest median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators out of the 50 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Florida ($71,560) was $3,480 (5.1%) higher than the US median ($68,080). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Florida was $23,680 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 11 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Crane and Tower Operators, Naples-Marco Island, FL had the highest median annual wage, $81,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
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
BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in states that border Florida (highest first): Georgia $62,050; Alabama $60,790. BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
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 Florida. 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.