Crane operator salary in Nevada
Median $55.69 an hour for 380 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 Nevada: the full range
Nevada ranks 2nd of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $55.69). 380 crane operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $29.55 – $48.21 | $61,460 – $100,280 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $48.21 – $64.90 | $100,280 – $135,000 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $64.90 – $64.91 | $135,000 – $135,000 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Crane operator pay by metro in Nevada
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | $33.83 | $63.31 | $63.18 | $64.91 | — | 14% above |
| Reno | $29.07 | $48.64 | $48.16 | $57.53 | — | 13% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Crane operator wages in Nevada over time
Table
| Year | Nevada $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $22.49 | $43.46 | $15.29 | — |
| 2000 | $25.21 | $47.13 | $15.89 | — |
| 2001 | $24.45 | $44.45 | $16.64 | 250 |
| 2002 | $24.18 | $43.27 | $17.47 | 290 |
| 2003 | $24.79 | $43.37 | $17.86 | 320 |
| 2004 | $28.02 | $47.75 | $17.99 | — |
| 2005 | $29.07 | $47.92 | $18.69 | 240 |
| 2006 | $33.13 | $52.91 | $18.77 | 550 |
| 2007 | $33.76 | $52.42 | $19.36 | 480 |
| 2008 | $30.83 | $46.10 | $20.13 | 510 |
| 2009 | $33.04 | $49.58 | $21.22 | 220 |
| 2010 | $33.26 | $49.11 | $22.23 | 230 |
| 2011 | $31.38 | $44.91 | $22.34 | 270 |
| 2012 | $33.74 | $47.31 | $22.73 | 290 |
| 2013 | $35.07 | $48.47 | $23.38 | 280 |
| 2014 | $30.32 | $41.23 | $24.39 | 320 |
| 2015 | $27.37 | $37.18 | $24.83 | 320 |
| 2016 | $29.55 | $39.64 | $25.08 | 410 |
| 2017 | $31.43 | $41.28 | $25.10 | 300 |
| 2018 | $33.67 | $43.17 | $26.03 | 420 |
| 2019 | $34.12 | $42.97 | $27.26 | 240 |
| 2020 | $39.66 | $49.33 | $28.71 | 220 |
| 2021 | $47.18 | $56.06 | $29.92 | 440 |
| 2022 | $47.92 | $52.72 | $29.49 | 300 |
| 2023 | $54.43 | $57.51 | $31.10 | 180 |
| 2024 | $62.47 | $64.11 | $31.91 | — |
| 2025 | $55.69 | $55.69 | $32.73 | 380 |
In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Nevada changed by +49.8% over the last ten years of data and by +29.6% since 2019.
Are there more crane operator jobs in Nevada?
BLS counted 380 crane operators in Nevada in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 44%. 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 Nevada
No state projection is published for crane operators in Nevada. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% growth over 2025-35 with about 3,500 openings a year; the national page has the openings breakdown and every state that does publish a figure.
Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Nevada
On federally funded construction in Nevada, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 17 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $91.83). The market median for the state is $55.69.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $68.15 | $40.69 | $108.84 | NV20260091 |
| Esmeralda | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $68.15 | $40.69 | $108.84 | NV20260085 |
| Lincoln | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $68.15 | $40.69 | $108.84 | NV20260080 |
| Nye | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $68.15 | $40.69 | $108.84 | NV20260082 |
| Churchill | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260077 |
| Douglas | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260078 |
| Elko | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260083 |
| Eureka | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260084 |
| Humboldt | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260079 |
| Lander | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260086 |
| Lyon | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260081 |
| Mineral | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260087 |
| Pershing | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260088 |
| Storey | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260092 |
| Washoe | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260093 |
| White Pine | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260089 |
| Carson City | state SANV2025-001 2025-10-01 | $62.23 | $29.60 | $91.83 | NV20260090 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Nevada prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Nevada?
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 11 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 50,949 in 2015 to 81,218 in 2025, +59.4%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storey County | 37 | 852 | $114,129 | $2,195 |
| Elko County | 74 | 910 | $93,528 | $1,799 |
| Carson City | 133 | 1,509 | $87,803 | $1,689 |
| Churchill County | 34 | 481 | $82,027 | $1,577 |
| Washoe County | 1,091 | 16,449 | $79,003 | $1,519 |
| Clark County | 2,999 | 58,383 | $77,825 | $1,497 |
| White Pine County | 14 | 120 | $77,470 | $1,490 |
| Humboldt County | 24 | 115 | $71,264 | $1,370 |
| Douglas County | 148 | 1,067 | $70,253 | $1,351 |
| Lyon County | 104 | 770 | $66,608 | $1,281 |
| Lincoln County | 6 | 46 | $64,369 | $1,238 |
| Nye County | 68 | 562 | $56,675 | $1,090 |
| Esmeralda County | — | — | — | — |
| Lander County | — | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | — | — | — | — |
| Pershing County | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Crane operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Nevada
More on Nevada
Questions this page answers
How much do crane operators make in Nevada?
The median crane operator in Nevada earned $55.69 an hour ($115,840 a year) in May 2025, 70% above the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $48.21–$64.90; the top 10% earn more than $64.91.
Where does Nevada rank for crane operator pay?
Nevada ranks 2nd of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $55.69 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Nevada's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).
What is the union crane operator rate in Nevada?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a crane operator classification for most Nevada counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many crane operators work in Nevada?
BLS counted 380 crane operators in Nevada in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.89; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nevada 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.