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Salary · Crane Operator · Texas

Crane Operator salary in Texas: $73,280 median.

How pay for crane operators in Texas compares with the national figure and other states, and where in the state it is highest.

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Updated Nov 2, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025
Annual wage range · Texas · BLS May 2025
$73,280median in Texas

Hourly pay in Texas, BLS May 2025: 10th percentile $20.57 · 25th $27.41 · median $35.23 · 75th $38.40 · 90th $44.90.

Quick answer

Crane Operators in Texas earned a median of $73,280 a year in May 2025 (BLS), 8% above the national median of $68,080. Texas ranked 19 of 50 for this occupation's median pay, with about 6,010 people employed.

Texas median
$73,280
$35.23/hr
U.S. median
$68,080
+8% in Texas
Rank among states
19 of 50
by median pay
Employed
6,010
location quotient 1.55
Key facts

More on crane operator pay in Texas

  • The median hourly wage for crane and tower operators in Texas was $35.23 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • The middle half of crane and tower operators in Texas earned between $57,020 and $79,880 a year in May 2025 (25th to 75th percentile, BLS).

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • The lowest-paid 10% of crane and tower operators in Texas earned less than $42,790 a year in May 2025, and the top 10% more than $93,390 (BLS).

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • The mean annual wage for crane and tower operators in Texas was $69,650 in May 2025, according to BLS; the mean is a different measure from the median.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

Metro areas

Where in Texas it pays most

Data Metropolitan areas in the state with at least 30 people employed in the occupation.

  1. Midland, TX$79,220
  2. Killeen-Temple, TX$76,010
  3. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$75,500
  4. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$75,360
  5. Odessa, TX$75,310
  6. Corpus Christi, TX$74,200
  7. Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$73,050
  8. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$68,640
Nearby in the ranking

States with similar pay

Data Ranked by state median, BLS May 2025.

  1. Colorado$77,120
  2. Kansas$77,100
  3. Texas$73,280
  4. Vermont$72,760
  5. Florida$71,560

See all states on the national Crane Operator salary page.

StateCrane Operator salary in Florida
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Method

How this page is built

BLS OEWS state and metropolitan-area estimates for May 2025, for the occupation shown. Ranks compare state medians only.

What this page can't tell you
  • Cost of living, which changes what a salary is worth.
  • Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
Sources
  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).

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