Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Oregon

Median $40.03 an hour for 340 crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$40.03/hrMedian hourly wageOregon, May data
$83,260/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.93 – $63.6610th to 90th percentilehourly range
340Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Crane operator pay in Oregon: the full range

Wage percentiles, OregonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrOregon: 10th $23.93 · 25th $30.38 · median $40.03 · 75th $58.89 · 90th $63.66Oregon$40.03$23.93$63.66United 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: Oregon vs United States, May 2025.

Oregon ranks 10th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 14th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $38.71). 340 crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.93 – $30.38$49,780 – $63,190roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$30.38 – $58.89$63,190 – $122,500the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$58.89 – $63.66$122,500 – $132,400the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Oregon

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrPortland: $38.59Portland$38.59Eugene: $32.91Eugene$32.91
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in Oregon, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Portland$27.39$38.59$63.832104% below
Eugene$22.22$32.91$54.574018% below

Crane operator wages in Oregon over time

Oregon, 1999-2025OregonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$20$40$60200020052010201520202025$40.03Oregon$32.73United States
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, Oregon vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOregon $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.74$32.35$15.291,030
2000$14.52$27.15$15.891,130
2001$15.43$28.05$16.64910
2002$16.04$28.70$17.47880
2003$16.23$28.40$17.86810
2004$17.92$30.54$17.99880
2005$21.23$35.00$18.69800
2006$17.48$27.91$18.77600
2007$22.19$34.45$19.36700
2008$21.72$32.48$20.13660
2009$22.39$33.60$21.22640
2010$27.38$40.42$22.23410
2011$30.85$44.15$22.34390
2012$27.71$38.86$22.73370
2013$24.67$34.09$23.38370
2014$26.41$35.92$24.39390
2015$24.78$33.66$24.83530
2016$26.92$36.11$25.08650
2017$29.22$38.38$25.10730
2018$33.44$42.87$26.03810
2019$32.62$41.08$27.26650
2020$34.10$42.42$28.71550
2021$30.69$36.46$29.92200
2022$48.30$53.13$29.49520
2023$51.15$54.04$31.10520
2024$53.02$54.42$31.91460
2025$40.03$40.03$32.73340

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Oregon changed by +18.9% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Oregon

On federally funded construction in Oregon, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 36 of the 36 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $70.50 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $40.03.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ORBaker: $70.50 (union)Benton: $71.65 (union)Clackamas: $71.65 (union)Clatsop: $70.50 (union)Columbia: $71.65 (union)Coos: $70.50 (union)Crook: $70.50 (union)Curry: $70.50 (union)Deschutes: $71.65 (union)Douglas: $70.50 (union)Gilliam: $70.50 (union)Grant: $70.50 (union)Harney: $70.50 (union)Hood River: $70.50 (union)Jackson: $71.65 (union)Jefferson: $70.50 (union)Josephine: $71.65 (union)Klamath: $70.50 (union)Lake: $70.50 (union)Lane: $71.65 (union)Lincoln: $70.50 (union)Linn: $71.65 (union)Malheur: $70.50 (union)Marion: $71.65 (union)Morrow: $70.50 (union)Multnomah: $71.65 (union)Polk: $71.65 (union)Sherman: $70.50 (union)Tillamook: $70.50 (union)Umatilla: $70.50 (union)Union: $70.50 (union)Wallowa: $70.50 (union)Wasco: $70.50 (union)Washington: $71.65 (union)Wheeler: $70.50 (union)Yamhill: $71.65 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr
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 (union)$20$40$60$80/hrLane (Eugene): market median $32.91, prevailing (union) $71.65, gap +$38.74Lane (Eugene)+$38.74Clackamas (Portland): market median $38.59, prevailing (union) $71.65, gap +$33.06Clackamas (Portland)+$33.06Benton (Oregon): market median $40.03, prevailing (union) $71.65, gap +$31.62Benton (Oregon)+$31.62
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in Oregon.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BentonUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260094
ClackamasUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260095
ColumbiaUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260096
DeschutesUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260097
JacksonUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260103
JosephineUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260103
LaneUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260098
LinnUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260099
MarionUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260104
MultnomahUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260100
PolkUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260104
WashingtonUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260101
YamhillUnion ENGI0701-044 2024-01-01$54.75$16.90$71.65OR20260102
BakerUnion ENGI0701-007 2024-01-01$53.60$16.90$70.50OR20260002
ClatsopUnion ENGI0701-007 2024-01-01$53.60$16.90$70.50OR20260092

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

Is construction work growing in Oregon?

118.8kConstruction jobsOregon, 2026-08
+2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202625k50k75k100k125k150k19901995200020052010201520202025119kAug 2026
Construction employment in Oregon (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
Multnomah County14,421$103,962$1,999
Crook County632$94,024$1,808
Washington County12,297$90,996$1,750
Gilliam County35$84,448$1,624
Clackamas County9,697$84,334$1,622
Jefferson County131$79,914$1,537
Linn County2,210$79,045$1,520
Lake County42$78,899$1,517
Umatilla County877$76,733$1,476
Columbia County579$76,327$1,468
Marion County7,006$75,069$1,444
Yamhill County1,422$74,949$1,441

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Oregon

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Oregon?

The median crane operator in Oregon earned $40.03 an hour ($83,260 a year) in May 2025, 22% above the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $30.38–$58.89; the top 10% earn more than $63.66.

Where does Oregon rank for crane operator pay?

Oregon ranks 10th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $40.03 an hour, and 14th after adjusting for Oregon's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.4, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Oregon?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 36 counties, with a typical package of $70.50 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in Oregon?

BLS counted 340 crane and tower operators in Oregon in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Oregon 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.