Crane operator salary in Colorado
Median $37.08 an hour for 470 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 Colorado: the full range
Colorado ranks 17th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $35.97). 470 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 | $27.79 – $31.49 | $57,800 – $65,500 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $31.49 – $38.00 | $65,500 – $79,040 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $38.00 – $46.86 | $79,040 – $97,470 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Crane operator pay by metro in Colorado
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $34.99 | $37.12 | $35.09 | $44.40 | 250 | about the same as |
| Greeley | $30.55 | $35.26 | $35.19 | $67.30 | 30 | 5% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Crane operator wages in Colorado over time
Table
| Year | Colorado $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.95 | $30.82 | $15.29 | 690 |
| 2000 | $21.76 | $40.68 | $15.89 | 1,150 |
| 2001 | $22.50 | $40.90 | $16.64 | 1,150 |
| 2002 | $21.46 | $38.40 | $17.47 | 880 |
| 2003 | $21.80 | $38.14 | $17.86 | 850 |
| 2004 | $19.62 | $33.44 | $17.99 | 510 |
| 2005 | $20.00 | $32.97 | $18.69 | 370 |
| 2006 | $21.42 | $34.21 | $18.77 | 450 |
| 2007 | $25.80 | $40.06 | $19.36 | 640 |
| 2008 | $25.02 | $37.41 | $20.13 | 520 |
| 2009 | $24.62 | $36.95 | $21.22 | 410 |
| 2010 | $22.08 | $32.60 | $22.23 | 440 |
| 2011 | $24.12 | $34.52 | $22.34 | 580 |
| 2012 | $24.83 | $34.82 | $22.73 | 690 |
| 2013 | $26.58 | $36.73 | $23.38 | 560 |
| 2014 | $23.39 | $31.81 | $24.39 | 540 |
| 2015 | $21.39 | $29.05 | $24.83 | 400 |
| 2016 | $22.41 | $30.06 | $25.08 | 450 |
| 2017 | $24.26 | $31.86 | $25.10 | 430 |
| 2018 | $25.73 | $32.99 | $26.03 | 350 |
| 2021 | $35.88 | $42.63 | $29.92 | 820 |
| 2022 | $31.61 | $34.77 | $29.49 | 560 |
| 2023 | $33.47 | $35.36 | $31.10 | 480 |
| 2024 | $35.65 | $36.59 | $31.91 | 600 |
| 2025 | $37.08 | $37.08 | $32.73 | 470 |
In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Colorado changed by +27.6% over the last ten years of data.
Are there more crane operator jobs in Colorado?
BLS counted 470 crane operators in Colorado in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. 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 Colorado
Colorado's labor market agency projects the number of crane operators in the state to change by +18.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 590 to 700, with about 70 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 470 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Colorado
On federally funded construction in Colorado, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 17 of the 17 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $51.29 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $37.08.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260015 |
| Arapahoe | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260016 |
| Boulder | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260017 |
| Broomfield | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260018 |
| Clear Creek | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260019 |
| Denver | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260020 |
| Douglas | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260021 |
| Elbert | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260030 |
| El Paso | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260022 |
| Gilpin | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260030 |
| Jefferson | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260023 |
| Larimer | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260024 |
| Mesa | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260025 |
| Park | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260026 |
| Pueblo | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260027 |
| Teller | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260028 |
| Weld | Union ENGI0009-017 2024-05-01 | $36.09 | $15.20 | $51.29 | CO20260029 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Colorado prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Colorado?
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 48 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 96,806 in 2015 to 118,768 in 2025, +22.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver County | 1,214 | 13,814 | $88,160 | $1,695 |
| Jefferson County | 1,480 | 12,463 | $84,364 | $1,622 |
| Adams County | 1,526 | 19,605 | $83,598 | $1,608 |
| Arapahoe County | 1,453 | 14,058 | $82,624 | $1,589 |
| Douglas County | 735 | 6,506 | $80,059 | $1,540 |
| Eagle County | 427 | 2,741 | $77,396 | $1,488 |
| Boulder County | 459 | 3,183 | $75,142 | $1,445 |
| Broomfield County | 132 | 826 | $73,547 | $1,414 |
| Summit County | 209 | 938 | $73,255 | $1,409 |
| Grand County | 114 | 541 | $72,999 | $1,404 |
| Weld County | 949 | 7,458 | $72,660 | $1,397 |
| Larimer County | 932 | 7,322 | $72,635 | $1,397 |
| Garfield County | 482 | 2,979 | $72,176 | $1,388 |
| San Miguel County | 49 | 295 | $69,971 | $1,346 |
| Elbert County | 134 | 885 | $68,789 | $1,323 |
| Archuleta County | 56 | 376 | $68,301 | $1,313 |
| Ouray County | 22 | 87 | $67,946 | $1,307 |
| El Paso County | 1,433 | 11,038 | $67,569 | $1,299 |
| Routt County | 226 | 962 | $67,494 | $1,298 |
| Mesa County | 430 | 3,129 | $67,047 | $1,289 |
| Delta County | 94 | 501 | $65,891 | $1,267 |
| Gunnison County | 144 | 558 | $64,750 | $1,245 |
| Clear Creek County | 17 | 43 | $64,370 | $1,238 |
| La Plata County | 220 | 1,378 | $64,168 | $1,234 |
| Rio Blanco County | 11 | 79 | $63,984 | $1,230 |
| Morgan County | 76 | 402 | $63,210 | $1,216 |
| Moffat County | 40 | 180 | $62,348 | $1,199 |
| Montrose County | 212 | 1,557 | $61,514 | $1,183 |
| Pueblo County | 269 | 2,133 | $61,421 | $1,181 |
| Chaffee County | 102 | 309 | $60,825 | $1,170 |
| Yuma County | 16 | 60 | $60,721 | $1,168 |
| Park County | 93 | 217 | $60,160 | $1,157 |
| Logan County | 32 | 137 | $58,485 | $1,125 |
| Teller County | 86 | 224 | $57,430 | $1,104 |
| Alamosa County | 32 | 252 | $57,406 | $1,104 |
| Lake County | 28 | 94 | $56,469 | $1,086 |
| Huerfano County | 11 | 35 | $55,675 | $1,071 |
| Fremont County | 97 | 483 | $55,002 | $1,058 |
| Custer County | 19 | 68 | $53,434 | $1,028 |
| Las Animas County | 23 | 87 | $50,133 | $964 |
| Washington County | 6 | 12 | $48,556 | $934 |
| Saguache County | 15 | 40 | $47,580 | $915 |
| Baca County | 9 | 35 | $46,456 | $893 |
| Montezuma County | 77 | 303 | $46,288 | $890 |
| Conejos County | 16 | 73 | $46,256 | $890 |
| Rio Grande County | 38 | 122 | $44,795 | $861 |
| Prowers County | 22 | 110 | $41,612 | $800 |
| Otero County | 22 | 70 | $41,281 | $794 |
| Bent County | — | — | — | — |
| Cheyenne County | — | — | — | — |
| Costilla County | — | — | — | — |
| Crowley County | — | — | — | — |
| Dolores County | — | — | — | — |
| Gilpin County | — | — | — | — |
| Hinsdale County | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | — | — | — | — |
| Kiowa County | — | — | — | — |
| Kit Carson County | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | — | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | — | — | — | — |
| Phillips County | — | — | — | — |
| Pitkin County | — | — | — | — |
| San Juan County | — | — | — | — |
| Sedgwick County | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Crane operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Colorado
More on Colorado
Questions this page answers
How much do crane operators make in Colorado?
The median crane operator in Colorado earned $37.08 an hour ($77,120 a year) in May 2025, 13% above the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $31.49–$38.00; the top 10% earn more than $46.86.
Where does Colorado rank for crane operator pay?
Colorado ranks 17th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $37.08 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.1, US = 100).
What is the union crane operator rate in Colorado?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 17 counties, with a typical package of $51.29 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many crane operators work in Colorado?
BLS counted 470 crane operators in Colorado in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.59; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is crane operator work growing in Colorado?
Colorado's labor market agency projects +18.3% growth for crane operators between 2024 and 2034, from 590 to 700 jobs.
How many crane operator openings a year are there in Colorado?
Colorado projects about 70 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, Colorado 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.