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Hoist operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$56,450median pay per year, or $27.14 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,640lowest 10% earn less
  2. $42,69025th percentile
  3. $56,450median
  4. $94,35075th percentile
  5. $118,210top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A hoist operator had a median pay of $56,450 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0.2%[2]
Openings per year
300[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do hoist operators make?

The median pay for Hoist and Winch Operators was $56,450 a year, or $27.14 an hour[1]. About half of workers earned more than that median, and the other half earned less[1]. The average was $67,710 a year, or $32.55 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

The spread is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,640 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $118,210[3]. The 25th percentile was $42,690 and the 75th percentile was $94,350[3]. Hourly, the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles were $17.13, $20.53, $45.36 and $56.83[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary jobs. They leave out self-employed people and do not include bonuses or benefits costs[10]. About 18.6% of hoist and winch operators were self-employed in 2025[11]. BLS counted about 2,600 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Only 16 states have published state pay for this job[13]. Illinois had the highest median at $118,210, followed by Hawaii at $107,100 and Maryland at $99,840[13]. Florida had the lowest of the 16 at $33,570[13].

The states with the most jobs were Illinois (320), Washington (240), Maryland (140), Florida (120) and Hawaii (120)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had the highest median at $118,210, followed by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD at $99,840 and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $74,840[15]. Chicago also had the most jobs, at 300[16].

Show median pay in 16 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Illinois[13]$118,210320
Hawaii$107,100120
Maryland$99,840140
Minnesota$78,40060
New York$74,980110
Massachusetts$62,240n/a
Oregon$55,88070
Missouri$47,51040
Ohio$43,000n/a
Michigan$40,07050
Tennessee$39,93040
Indiana$39,750120
Georgia$37,87090
Virginia$37,02040
Wisconsin$36,56080
Florida$33,570120

How to become a hoist operator

The typical path looks like this:

The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile used here covers a wider group of material moving machine operators, so its training details describe that group[17]. For that group, a high school diploma may be preferred by employers, and training usually takes less than a month. Complex machines such as cranes can take several months[18][19]. New workers are usually trained by an experienced employee[19].

The wider group's profile also says employers may require or prefer certification[20].

What hoist operators do

Hoist and winch operators run power-operated cable equipment to lift and pull loads[21]. Tasks include:

Job titles reported by workers include hoistman and winchman[23].

Where they work

For the wider group of material moving machine operators, BLS says the work happens indoors and outdoors across a variety of industries[24][17]. Warehousing and storage was the largest employer of that wider group, at 33%[25]. Full-time work is typical for that group, some work more than 40 hours a week, and some work overnight shifts[26].

Job outlook

Employment is projected to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,200 to 3,200 jobs[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[27]. So this job is expected to grow much more slowly than average.

About 300 openings are projected each year[5]. Openings count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.8% of workers leave the labor force and 5.1% move to a different occupation[28]. BLS lists automated lifting systems as a factor that removes some tasks hoist and winch operators used to do[29].

Is it a good fit?

Median pay of $56,450 sits above the all-occupation median of $50,980[1][4]. Entry needs no formal credential and no related experience, with short-term training on the job[6]. Pay varies widely, from $35,640 at the 10th percentile to $118,210 at the 90th[3]. Growth is slow at 0.2%, and automation is named as a factor[2][29].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[30].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a hoist operator make an hour?
The median was $27.14 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $32.55[1][7].
What education do you need to be a hoist operator?
No formal educational credential is typically needed, and there is no related experience requirement. Training is short-term and on the job[6].
Is hoist operator work in demand?
Jobs are projected to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 300 openings a year[2][27][5].
What is the highest paying state for hoist operators?
Illinois, with a median of $118,210 a year, followed by Hawaii at $107,100[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Hoist and Winch Operators in the US was $56,450 per year and $27.14 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Hoist and Winch Operators is projected to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,200 to 3,200 jobs (a change of +0). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Hoist and Winch Operators: 10th percentile $35,640, 25th percentile $42,690, 75th percentile $94,350, 90th percentile $118,210. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Hoist and Winch Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Hoist and Winch Operators: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Hoist and Winch Operators was $67,710 per year and $32.55 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Hoist and Winch Operators: 10th percentile $17.13, 25th percentile $20.53, 75th percentile $45.36, 90th percentile $56.83. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 18.6% of Hoist and Winch Operators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,600 people were employed as Hoist and Winch Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Hoist and Winch Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Hoist and Winch Operators jobs: Illinois 320; Washington 240; Maryland 140; Florida 120; Hawaii 120. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Hoist and Winch Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $118,210; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $99,840; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Hoist and Winch Operators jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 300 (median $118,210); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 160 (median $74,840); Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 130 (median $99,840); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 60 (median $46,310); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 60 (median $78,400); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 40 (median $47,810). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Material Moving Machine Operators" covers Hoist and Winch Operators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET description of Hoist and Winch Operators. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Hoist and Winch Operators. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET 53-7041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Hoist Operator, Hoisting Operator, Hoistman, Service Operator, Winch Derrick Operator, Winchman. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of material moving machine operators in 2025: Warehousing and storage 33%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Hoist and Winch Operators: 2.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Hoist and Winch Operators: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as the expansion of automated lifting systems eliminates some of the tasks previously performed by hoist and winch operators. BLS Employment Projections
  30. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.