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Crane operator salary in Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$73,280median pay per year in Texas, or $35.23 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $42,790lowest 10% earn less
  2. $57,02025th percentile
  3. $73,280median
  4. $79,88075th percentile
  5. $93,390top 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 Texas was $73,280 a year in May 2025[1]. That was 7.6% above the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
6,010[4]
Rank by median pay
19 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+7.6%[6]

How much do crane operators make in Texas?

Half of crane operators in Texas earned more than $73,280 a year, or $35.23 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a little lower at $69,650 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for crane operators was $68,080[3]. Texas came in $5,200 (7.6%) above that[6]. Texas had the 19th highest median among the 50 states with a published figure[5]. The median for all jobs in Texas was $48,620[8], so crane operators earned $24,660 more[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,790 a year[2]. One in four earned less than $57,020[2]. At the high end, one in four earned more than $79,880 and the best-paid tenth earned more than $93,390[2]. About 6,010 people worked as crane operators in Texas[4].

Among Texas metro areas, Midland had the highest median at $79,220 a year[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had the largest count of jobs, about 2,100, with a median of $75,500[11]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had a median of $68,640[11].

These figures count wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$73,280[1]$68,080[3]
Median per hour$35.23[1]$32.73[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$42,790[2]$42,640[13]
Top 10% earn more than$93,390[2]$103,570[13]
Jobs6,010[4]42,890[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for crane operators, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX[11]$75,5002,100
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$68,6401,310
Corpus Christi, TX$74,200330
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$68,200270
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$73,050240
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$75,360230
Midland, TX$79,220150
El Paso, TX$62,280120

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for crane operators in the states that border Texas, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$63,590620
New Mexico$62,400290
Louisiana$61,1701,930
Arkansas$41,600880

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[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a crane operator make in Texas?
The median pay for crane operators in Texas was $73,280 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $69,650[7].
How much does a crane operator make an hour in Texas?
The median was $35.23 an hour[1]. The hourly 25th percentile was $27.41 and the 75th was $38.40[17].
Which city in Texas pays crane operators the most?
Midland had the highest median among Texas metro areas with a published figure, at $79,220 a year[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had a median of $75,500[11].
Is Texas a good state for crane operators?
Texas had the 19th highest median for crane operators out of 50 states[5]. Its median was 7.6% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a crane operator in Texas?
These are US figures. 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[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Texas was $73,280 per year and $35.23 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 Texas: 10th percentile $42,790, 25th percentile $57,020, 75th percentile $79,880, 90th percentile $93,390. 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 6,010 people worked as Crane and Tower Operators in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 19th 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 Texas ($73,280) was $5,200 (7.6%) 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 Texas was $69,650 per year and $33.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Texas was $24,660 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 16 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Crane and Tower Operators, Midland, TX had the highest median annual wage, $79,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in states that border Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $63,590; New Mexico $62,400; Louisiana $61,170; Arkansas $41,600. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Crane and Tower Operators in Texas: 10th percentile $20.57, 25th percentile $27.41, 75th percentile $38.40, 90th percentile $44.90. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.