Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Idaho

Median $25.37 an hour for — crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$25.37/hrMedian hourly wageIdaho, May data
$52,770/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.58 – $50.1110th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Crane operator pay in Idaho: the full range

Wage percentiles, IdahoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIdaho: 10th $22.58 · 25th $23.67 · median $25.37 · 75th $37.66 · 90th $50.11Idaho$25.37$22.58$50.11United States: 10th $20.50 · 25th $25.29 · median $32.73 · 75th $40.00 · 90th $49.79United States$32.73
Hourly wage percentiles for crane and tower operators: Idaho vs United States, May 2025.

Idaho ranks 49th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 49th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.57). — crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.58 – $23.67$46,970 – $49,220roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.67 – $37.66$49,220 – $78,320the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$37.66 – $50.11$78,320 – $104,240the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Idaho

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBoise: $29.06Boise$29.06
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in Idaho, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Boise$23.67$29.06$50.11—15% above

Crane operator wages in Idaho over time

Idaho, 1999-2025IdahoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.73United States$25.37Idaho
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, Idaho vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIdaho $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.70$28.41$15.29160
2000$15.29$28.59$15.89230
2001$16.17$29.39$16.64190
2002$17.22$30.82$17.47250
2003$17.38$30.41$17.86240
2004$17.13$29.19$17.99110
2005$16.64$27.43$18.69120
2006$16.03$25.60$18.77120
2007$16.35$25.39$19.3660
2008$22.12$33.08$20.13120
2009$21.58$32.38$21.2290
2010$21.90$32.33$22.2380
2011$17.87$25.58$22.3460
2012$21.53$30.19$22.7390
2013$23.96$33.11$23.38130
2014$25.89$35.21$24.39120
2015$25.66$34.85$24.8390
2016$22.88$30.69$25.08130
2017$24.56$32.26$25.10220
2018$25.55$32.76$26.03210
2019$27.54$34.68$27.26160
2020$29.61$36.83$28.71120
2021$30.34$36.05$29.9290
2022$35.62$39.18$29.4990
2023$36.52$38.59$31.10120
2024$35.33$36.26$31.91—
2025$25.37$25.37$32.73—

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Idaho changed by -27.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Idaho

On federally funded construction in Idaho, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 4 of the 33 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $52.24 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $37.82). 20 of the 33 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Adams County at $37.82). The market median for the state is $25.37.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IDAda: $49.48 (survey)Adams: $37.82 (survey)Bannock: $49.93 (survey)Bear Lake: —Benewah: —Bingham: —Blaine: $37.82 (survey)Boise: $49.48 (survey)Bonner: $37.82 (survey)Bonneville: $52.24 (union)Boundary: $37.82 (survey)Butte: $52.24 (union)Camas: $37.82 (survey)Canyon: $49.48 (survey)Caribou: —Cassia: $37.82 (survey)Clark: —Clearwater: $37.82 (survey)Custer: —Elmore: $37.82 (survey)Franklin: $49.93 (survey)Fremont: —Gem: $49.48 (survey)Gooding: $37.82 (survey)Idaho: $37.82 (survey)Jefferson: $52.24 (union)Jerome: $37.82 (survey)Kootenai: $49.48 (survey)Latah: $37.82 (survey)Lemhi: —Lewis: $37.82 (survey)Lincoln: $37.82 (survey)Madison: —Minidoka: $37.82 (survey)Nez Perce: $49.48 (survey)Oneida: —Owyhee: $49.48 (survey)Payette: $37.82 (survey)Power: $53.45 (union)Shoshone: $37.82 (survey)Teton: —Twin Falls: $37.82 (survey)Valley: $37.82 (survey)Washington: $37.82 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$40.15$49.48n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for crane operators by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
PowerUnion ENGI0302-038 2025-01-01$37.35$16.10$53.45ID20260034
BonnevilleUnion ENGI0302-013 2025-06-01$36.14$16.10$52.24ID20260100
ButteUnion ENGI0302-013 2025-06-01$36.14$16.10$52.24ID20260101
JeffersonUnion ENGI0302-013 2025-06-01$36.14$16.10$52.24ID20260102
Bannockuavg UAVGID0002 2025-01-03$31.81$18.12$49.93ID20260105
Franklinuavg UAVGID0002 2025-01-03$31.81$18.12$49.93ID20260105
Adauavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260104
Boiseuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260104
Canyonuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260106
Gemuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260106
Kootenaiuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260107
Nez Perceuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260107
Owyheeuavg UAVGID0001 2025-01-03$31.13$18.35$49.48ID20260103
AdamsSurvey SUID2010-013 2012-08-08$27.29$10.53$37.82ID20260020
BlaineSurvey SUID2010-002 2012-08-08$27.29$10.53$37.82ID20260009

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Idaho prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Idaho?

79.2kConstruction jobsIdaho, 2026-08
+1.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k20k40k60k80k100k1990199520002005201020152020202579kAug 2026
Construction employment in Idaho (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Ada County14,647$76,455$1,470
Franklin County249$72,834$1,401
Butte County43$70,911$1,364
Nez Perce County724$70,436$1,355
Shoshone County130$67,238$1,293
Minidoka County399$66,326$1,275
Bannock County2,005$63,744$1,226
Jerome County480$63,301$1,217
Kootenai County4,664$63,054$1,213
Blaine County1,619$62,835$1,208
Teton County516$62,544$1,203
Twin Falls County1,539$62,244$1,197

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Idaho

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Idaho?

The median crane operator in Idaho earned $25.37 an hour ($52,770 a year) in May 2025, 22% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $23.67–$37.66; the top 10% earn more than $50.11.

Where does Idaho rank for crane operator pay?

Idaho ranks 49th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $25.37 an hour, and 49th after adjusting for Idaho's cost of living (BEA price parity 95.5, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Idaho?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 4 counties, with a typical package of $52.24 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in Idaho?

BLS counted — crane and tower operators in Idaho in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Idaho and metro areas, SOC 53-7021.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.