Crane operator salary in Arizona
Median $32.38 an hour for 930 crane operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Crane operator pay in Arizona: the full range
Arizona ranks 26th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 36th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.15). 930 crane operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $24.49 – $28.10 | $50,930 – $58,460 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $28.10 – $38.25 | $58,460 – $79,550 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $38.25 – $42.31 | $79,550 – $87,990 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Crane operator pay by metro in Arizona
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $24.49 | $34.89 | $33.78 | $43.01 | 630 | 8% above |
| Prescott Valley | $30.55 | $31.61 | $32.16 | $40.01 | 40 | 2% below |
| Tucson | $26.22 | $31.13 | $32.13 | $42.09 | 100 | 4% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Crane operator wages in Arizona over time
Table
| Year | Arizona $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $14.49 | $28.00 | $15.29 | 360 |
| 2000 | $16.30 | $30.47 | $15.89 | 510 |
| 2001 | $16.40 | $29.81 | $16.64 | 380 |
| 2002 | $16.40 | $29.35 | $17.47 | 330 |
| 2003 | $16.87 | $29.52 | $17.86 | — |
| 2004 | $17.28 | $29.45 | $17.99 | 290 |
| 2005 | $17.91 | $29.52 | $18.69 | 300 |
| 2006 | $18.98 | $30.31 | $18.77 | 370 |
| 2007 | $24.98 | $38.79 | $19.36 | 390 |
| 2008 | $24.78 | $37.05 | $20.13 | 400 |
| 2009 | $23.54 | $35.33 | $21.22 | 310 |
| 2010 | $19.18 | $28.32 | $22.23 | 170 |
| 2011 | $22.22 | $31.80 | $22.34 | 120 |
| 2012 | $22.19 | $31.12 | $22.73 | 100 |
| 2013 | $20.93 | $28.92 | $23.38 | 220 |
| 2014 | $20.68 | $28.12 | $24.39 | 430 |
| 2015 | $20.86 | $28.33 | $24.83 | — |
| 2016 | $19.82 | $26.59 | $25.08 | 440 |
| 2017 | $21.54 | $28.29 | $25.10 | 250 |
| 2018 | $22.78 | $29.21 | $26.03 | 270 |
| 2019 | $32.36 | $40.75 | $27.26 | — |
| 2020 | $34.75 | $43.23 | $28.71 | — |
| 2021 | $29.64 | $35.22 | $29.92 | 200 |
| 2022 | $33.70 | $37.07 | $29.49 | 660 |
| 2023 | $26.87 | $28.39 | $31.10 | 800 |
| 2024 | $32.67 | $33.53 | $31.91 | 1,110 |
| 2025 | $32.38 | $32.38 | $32.73 | 930 |
In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Arizona changed by +14.3% over the last ten years of data and by -20.5% since 2019.
Are there more crane operator jobs in Arizona?
BLS counted 930 crane operators in Arizona in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 21%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for crane operators in Arizona
Arizona's labor market agency projects the number of crane operators in the state to change by +21.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,140 to 1,390, with about 130 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 930 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Arizona labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Arizona
On federally funded construction in Arizona, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 15 of the 15 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $49.56 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $32.38.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cochise | Union ENGI0428-016 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260038 |
| Coconino | Union ENGI0428-017 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260043 |
| Maricopa | Union ENGI0428-016 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260039 |
| Mohave | Union ENGI0428-017 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260043 |
| Pima | Union ENGI0428-016 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260040 |
| Pinal | Union ENGI0428-016 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260041 |
| Yavapai | Union ENGI0428-017 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260043 |
| Yuma | Union ENGI0428-016 2023-06-01 | $36.04 | $13.52 | $49.56 | AZ20260042 |
| Apache | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260022 |
| Gila | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260024 |
| Graham | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260025 |
| Greenlee | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260029 |
| La Paz | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260029 |
| Navajo | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260027 |
| Santa Cruz | Union ENGI0428-003 2022-06-01 | $33.41 | $12.57 | $45.98 | AZ20260028 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Arizona prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Arizona?
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just crane operators), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 10 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 86,512 in 2015 to 145,171 in 2025, +67.8%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County | 7,780 | 112,986 | $80,473 | $1,548 |
| Pinal County | 425 | 3,624 | $69,328 | $1,333 |
| Apache County | 29 | 229 | $67,470 | $1,298 |
| Pima County | 1,442 | 14,433 | $60,754 | $1,168 |
| Gila County | 88 | 457 | $60,549 | $1,164 |
| Yavapai County | 649 | 4,005 | $59,912 | $1,152 |
| Coconino County | 254 | 1,997 | $59,074 | $1,136 |
| Cochise County | 141 | 996 | $55,800 | $1,073 |
| Mohave County | 542 | 3,158 | $55,472 | $1,067 |
| Yuma County | 296 | 2,478 | $54,599 | $1,050 |
| Navajo County | 150 | 1,037 | $53,067 | $1,021 |
| Graham County | — | — | — | — |
| Greenlee County | — | — | — | — |
| La Paz County | — | — | — | — |
| Santa Cruz County | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Crane operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Arizona
More on Arizona
Questions this page answers
How much do crane operators make in Arizona?
The median crane operator in Arizona earned $32.38 an hour ($67,350 a year) in May 2025, 1% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $28.10–$38.25; the top 10% earn more than $42.31.
Where does Arizona rank for crane operator pay?
Arizona ranks 26th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $32.38 an hour, and 36th after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.7, US = 100).
What is the union crane operator rate in Arizona?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 15 counties, with a typical package of $49.56 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many crane operators work in Arizona?
BLS counted 930 crane operators in Arizona in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.04; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is crane operator work growing in Arizona?
Arizona's labor market agency projects +21.5% growth for crane operators between 2024 and 2034, from 1,140 to 1,390 jobs.
How many crane operator openings a year are there in Arizona?
Arizona projects about 130 openings a year for crane operators over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 3,500 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arizona and metro areas, SOC 53-7021. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Arizona labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.