Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Maryland

Median $42.28 an hour for — crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$42.28/hrMedian hourly wageMaryland, May data
$87,950/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$29.54 – $45.5310th 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 Maryland: the full range

Wage percentiles, MarylandMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMaryland: 10th $29.54 · 25th $35.21 · median $42.28 · 75th $42.29 · 90th $45.53Maryland$42.28$29.54$45.53United 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: Maryland vs United States, May 2025.

Maryland ranks 8th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 12th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $40.27). — crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$29.54 – $35.21$61,450 – $73,240roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$35.21 – $42.29$73,240 – $87,950the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$42.29 – $45.53$87,950 – $94,700the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Maryland

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrWashington DC: $44.29Washington DC$44.29Baltimore: $42.28Baltimore$42.28Philadelphia: $34.62Philadelphia$34.62
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in Maryland, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$29.95$44.29$45.534105% above
Baltimore$29.54$42.28$42.28410about the same as
Philadelphia$25.94$34.62$59.7279018% below

Crane operator wages in Maryland over time

Maryland, 1999-2025MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$42.28Maryland$32.73United States
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, Maryland vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMaryland $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.89$28.77$15.29920
2000$17.51$32.74$15.89880
2001$18.58$33.78$16.641,020
2002$18.07$32.34$17.47920
2003$19.97$34.94$17.86990
2004$21.29$36.28$17.99730
2005$23.82$39.27$18.69650
2006$22.62$36.12$18.77650
2007$22.56$35.03$19.36730
2008$23.75$35.51$20.13820
2009$26.03$39.06$21.22630
2010$27.33$40.35$22.23630
2011$29.37$42.04$22.34550
2012$27.78$38.95$22.73510
2013$29.26$40.44$23.38480
2014$30.53$41.52$24.39480
2015$30.59$41.55$24.83610
2016$29.16$39.11$25.08700
2017$26.85$35.27$25.10760
2018$27.45$35.19$26.03680
2019$28.39$35.75$27.26860
2020$32.69$40.66$28.71860
2021$29.75$35.35$29.92710
2022$30.93$34.03$29.49390
2023$32.59$34.43$31.10380
2024$32.11$32.95$31.91310
2025$42.28$42.28$32.73—

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Maryland changed by +1.8% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Maryland

On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 24 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $61.10). The market median for the state is $42.28.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MDAllegany: $54.32 (survey)Anne Arundel: $61.10 (survey)Baltimore: $61.10 (survey)Calvert: $61.10 (survey)Caroline: $61.10 (survey)Carroll: $61.10 (survey)Cecil: $61.10 (survey)Charles: $63.81 (survey)Dorchester: $61.10 (survey)Frederick: $61.10 (survey)Garrett: $54.32 (survey)Harford: $61.10 (survey)Howard: $61.10 (survey)Kent: $61.10 (survey)Montgomery: $63.81 (survey)Prince George's: $63.81 (survey)Queen Anne's: $61.10 (survey)St. Mary's: $63.81 (survey)Somerset: $61.10 (survey)Talbot: $61.10 (survey)Washington: $61.10 (survey)Wicomico: $61.10 (survey)Worcester: $61.10 (survey)Baltimore: $61.10 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$61.10survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for crane operators by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$30$40$50$60$70/hrCecil (Philadelphia): market median $34.62, prevailing (survey) $61.10, gap +$26.48Cecil (Philadelphia)+$26.48St. Mary's (Maryland): market median $42.28, prevailing (survey) $63.81, gap +$21.53St. Mary's (Maryland)+$21.53Charles (Washington DC): market median $44.29, prevailing (survey) $63.81, gap +$19.52Charles (Washington DC)+$19.52Anne Arundel (Baltimore): market median $42.28, prevailing (survey) $61.10, gap +$18.82Anne Arundel (Baltimore)+$18.82
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in Maryland.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Charlesstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$48.71$15.10$63.81MD20260113
Montgomerystate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$48.71$15.10$63.81MD20260120
Prince George'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$48.71$15.10$63.81MD20260121
St. Mary'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$48.71$15.10$63.81MD20260124
Anne Arundelstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260082
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260108
Calvertstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260109
Carolinestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260110
Carrollstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260111
Cecilstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260112
Dorchesterstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260114
Frederickstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260115
Harfordstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260117
Howardstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260118
Kentstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$42.00$19.10$61.10MD20260119

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

Is construction work growing in Maryland?

165.8kConstruction jobsMaryland, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025166kAug 2026
Construction employment in Maryland (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
Prince George's County21,463$94,963$1,826
Howard County7,376$89,421$1,720
Anne Arundel County14,008$88,985$1,711
Baltimore County16,317$85,194$1,638
Baltimore City5,904$85,150$1,637
St. Mary's County1,667$79,958$1,538
Charles County2,391$79,295$1,525
Montgomery County13,077$78,980$1,519
Frederick County6,674$77,989$1,500
Harford County3,714$75,387$1,450
Calvert County1,186$75,159$1,445
Carroll County4,718$73,878$1,421

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Maryland

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Maryland?

The median crane operator in Maryland earned $42.28 an hour ($87,950 a year) in May 2025, 29% above the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $35.21–$42.29; the top 10% earn more than $45.53.

Where does Maryland rank for crane operator pay?

Maryland ranks 8th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $42.28 an hour, and 12th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Maryland?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a crane operator classification for most Maryland counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many crane operators work in Maryland?

BLS counted — crane and tower operators in Maryland 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, Maryland 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.