Crane and Tower Operators salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Crane and Tower Operators in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area earn a median of $75,360 a year ($36.23 an hour), based on BLS data for 230 workers.
Pay ranges from $47,750 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,560 for the top 10%. That is 11% higher than the national median of $68,080. Pay here is 3% higher than the Texas statewide median of $73,280. There are 0.18 crane and tower operators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.64). The average (mean) salary is $74,370, close to the median.
Pay range for crane and tower operators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,750 | $22.96 |
| 25th percentile | $61,370 | $29.51 |
| Median | $75,360 | $36.23 |
| 75th percentile | $88,900 | $42.74 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $99,560 | $47.86 |
| Average (mean) | $74,370 | $35.76 |
Half of crane and tower operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,280 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,140 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,898.46 |
| Weekly | $1,449.23 |
| Hourly | $36.23 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $75,360 salary, see how much house you can afford in Texas at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | $79,220 | 150 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $76,010 | 40 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $75,500 | 2,100 |
| Odessa, TX | $75,310 | 90 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $74,200 | 330 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $73,050 | 240 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $68,640 | 1,310 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $68,200 | 270 |
| El Paso, TX | $62,280 | 120 |
| Waco, TX | $61,350 | 50 |
| Longview, TX | $60,830 | n/a |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $60,520 | 40 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $56,300 | 50 |
| Tyler, TX | $55,930 | 30 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $54,060 | 30 |
| San Angelo, TX | $45,950 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for crane and tower operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $124,260 |
| Nevada | $115,840 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 |
| Washington | $101,110 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 |
| Massachusetts | $98,150 |
| Alaska | $92,490 |
| Maryland | $87,950 |
| New York | $85,850 |
| Oregon | $83,260 |
See Crane and Tower Operators pay in every state or the Texas statewide figures.
Related jobs in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,720 | $18.14 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $38,530 | $18.53 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,430 | $22.32 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $35,490 | $17.06 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $34,350 | $16.52 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | $43,890 | $21.10 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,110 | $27.46 |
| Light Truck Driver | $45,820 | $22.03 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $61,920 | $29.77 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $37,220 | $17.90 |
| Bus Drivers, School | $46,910 | $22.55 |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | $46,860 | $22.53 |
More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · all salaries in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-7021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a crane and tower operators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
The median salary for crane and tower operators in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area is $75,360 a year, or $36.23 an hour. Pay ranges from $47,750 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,560 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid crane and tower operators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
The top 10% of crane and tower operators in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area earn at least $99,560 a year. The top 25% earn $88,900 or more.
What is the starting pay for crane and tower operators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $47,750 a year, and a quarter of crane and tower operators earn $61,370 or less.
How many crane and tower operators work in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
About 230 crane and tower operators are employed in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, not counting the self-employed.