Crane operator salary in Delaware
Median $28.92 an hour for 220 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 Delaware: the full range
Delaware ranks 42nd of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 47th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.98). 220 crane operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.4× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.94 – $28.18 | $53,940 – $58,620 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $28.18 – $29.21 | $58,620 – $60,760 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.21 – $37.37 | $60,760 – $77,730 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Crane operator pay by metro in Delaware
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $25.94 | $34.62 | $59.72 | 790 | 20% above |
Crane operator wages in Delaware over time
Table
| Year | Delaware $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.93 | $30.78 | $15.29 | 210 |
| 2000 | $15.10 | $28.23 | $15.89 | 160 |
| 2001 | $16.42 | $29.85 | $16.64 | 160 |
| 2002 | $18.67 | $33.41 | $17.47 | 230 |
| 2003 | $18.83 | $32.95 | $17.86 | 210 |
| 2004 | $20.85 | $35.53 | $17.99 | 160 |
| 2005 | $17.63 | $29.06 | $18.69 | 190 |
| 2006 | $18.64 | $29.77 | $18.77 | 130 |
| 2007 | $17.55 | $27.25 | $19.36 | 120 |
| 2008 | $18.14 | $27.12 | $20.13 | 120 |
| 2009 | $18.46 | $27.70 | $21.22 | 100 |
| 2010 | $21.91 | $32.35 | $22.23 | 130 |
| 2011 | $22.23 | $31.82 | $22.34 | 160 |
| 2012 | $22.42 | $31.44 | $22.73 | 150 |
| 2013 | $17.98 | $24.85 | $23.38 | 120 |
| 2014 | $19.90 | $27.06 | $24.39 | 110 |
| 2015 | $21.43 | $29.11 | $24.83 | 100 |
| 2016 | $24.84 | $33.32 | $25.08 | 70 |
| 2017 | $22.18 | $29.13 | $25.10 | 90 |
| 2018 | $21.32 | $27.33 | $26.03 | 100 |
| 2019 | $25.69 | $32.35 | $27.26 | 200 |
| 2020 | $30.10 | $37.44 | $28.71 | 210 |
| 2021 | $23.96 | $28.47 | $29.92 | 220 |
| 2022 | $30.86 | $33.95 | $29.49 | 70 |
| 2023 | $28.83 | $30.46 | $31.10 | 100 |
| 2024 | $30.20 | $30.99 | $31.91 | 70 |
| 2025 | $28.92 | $28.92 | $32.73 | 220 |
In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Delaware changed by -0.6% over the last ten years of data and by -10.6% since 2019.
Are there more crane operator jobs in Delaware?
BLS counted 220 crane operators in Delaware in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 37%. 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 Delaware
Delaware's labor market agency projects the number of crane operators in the state to change by +9.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 80 to 80, with about 10 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 220 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Delaware labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Delaware
On federally funded construction in Delaware, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 3 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $48.42). 3 of the 3 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Kent County at $48.42). The market median for the state is $28.92.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle | Survey SUDE2014-005 2016-01-20 | $32.40 | $18.27 | $50.67 | DE20260008 |
| Kent | Survey SUDE2014-004 2016-01-20 | $31.59 | $16.83 | $48.42 | DE20260007 |
| Sussex | Survey SUDE2014-006 2016-01-20 | $31.59 | $16.83 | $48.42 | DE20260009 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Delaware prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Delaware?
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 3 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 12,862 in 2015 to 15,905 in 2025, +23.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 1,327 | 10,015 | $79,861 | $1,536 |
| Kent County | 318 | 1,656 | $71,423 | $1,374 |
| Sussex County | 688 | 4,234 | $64,356 | $1,238 |
Keep comparing
Crane operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Delaware
More on Delaware
Questions this page answers
How much do crane operators make in Delaware?
The median crane operator in Delaware earned $28.92 an hour ($60,160 a year) in May 2025, 12% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $28.18–$29.21; the top 10% earn more than $37.37.
Where does Delaware rank for crane operator pay?
Delaware ranks 42nd of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $28.92 an hour, and 47th after adjusting for Delaware's cost of living (BEA price parity 99.8, US = 100).
What is the union crane operator rate in Delaware?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a crane operator classification for most Delaware counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many crane operators work in Delaware?
BLS counted 220 crane operators in Delaware in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is crane operator work growing in Delaware?
Delaware's labor market agency projects +9.3% growth for crane operators between 2024 and 2034, from 80 to 80 jobs.
How many crane operator openings a year are there in Delaware?
Delaware projects about 10 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, Delaware 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: Delaware labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.