Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in South Carolina

Median $30.83 an hour for 720 crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$30.83/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Carolina, May data
$64,120/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.84 – $43.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
720Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Crane operator pay in South Carolina: the full range

Wage percentiles, South CarolinaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrSouth Carolina: 10th $21.84 · 25th $23.12 · median $30.83 · 75th $38.89 · 90th $43.00South Carolina$30.83$21.84$43.00United 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: South Carolina vs United States, May 2025.

South Carolina ranks 31st of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 30th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.90). 720 crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.84 – $23.12$45,420 – $48,100roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.12 – $38.89$48,100 – $80,880the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$38.89 – $43.00$80,880 – $89,440the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in South Carolina

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrCharleston: $38.89Charleston$38.89Augusta: $36.99Augusta$36.99Columbia: $31.67Columbia$31.67Charlotte: $30.43Charlotte$30.43Greenville: $28.06Greenville$28.06Florence: $23.12Florence$23.12Spartanburg: $22.69Spartanburg$22.69
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in South Carolina, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Charleston$22.59$38.89$46.8032026% above
Augusta$22.23$36.99$45.784020% above
Columbia$18.93$31.67$42.77503% above
Charlotte$24.24$30.43$39.773001% below
Greenville$20.59$28.06$37.71909% below
Florence$23.12$23.12$34.786025% below
Spartanburg$20.26$22.69$36.686026% below

Crane operator wages in South Carolina over time

South Carolina, 1999-2025South CarolinaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.73United States$30.83South Carolina
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, South Carolina vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Carolina $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.36$27.75$15.291,240
2000$14.87$27.80$15.891,160
2001$16.10$29.27$16.641,160
2002$16.67$29.83$17.471,070
2003$17.55$30.71$17.86900
2004$17.75$30.25$17.99900
2005$20.39$33.61$18.691,060
2006$19.91$31.80$18.771,070
2007$19.51$30.29$19.361,190
2008$18.47$27.62$20.131,000
2009$20.76$31.15$21.22900
2010$22.59$33.35$22.23930
2011$24.96$35.72$22.341,080
2012$26.39$37.00$22.73960
2013$26.55$36.69$23.38720
2014$24.48$33.29$24.39600
2015$24.22$32.90$24.83650
2016$24.83$33.31$25.08500
2017$21.58$28.34$25.10470
2018$23.44$30.05$26.03680
2019$23.11$29.10$27.26760
2020$25.98$32.32$28.71880
2021$27.85$33.09$29.92620
2022$23.00$25.30$29.49770
2023$26.82$28.34$31.10800
2024$26.64$27.34$31.91980
2025$30.83$30.83$32.73720

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in South Carolina changed by -6.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in South Carolina

On federally funded construction in South Carolina, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $21.41). 21 of the 21 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Aiken County at $21.41). The market median for the state is $30.83.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, SCAbbeville: —Aiken: $21.41 (survey)Allendale: —Anderson: $21.41 (survey)Bamberg: —Barnwell: —Beaufort: —Berkeley: $21.41 (survey)Calhoun: $21.41 (survey)Charleston: $21.41 (survey)Cherokee: —Chester: —Chesterfield: —Clarendon: —Colleton: —Darlington: $21.41 (survey)Dillon: —Dorchester: $21.41 (survey)Edgefield: $21.41 (survey)Fairfield: $21.41 (survey)Florence: $21.41 (survey)Georgetown: —Greenville: $21.41 (survey)Greenwood: —Hampton: —Horry: $21.41 (survey)Jasper: —Kershaw: $21.41 (survey)Lancaster: —Laurens: $21.41 (survey)Lee: —Lexington: $21.41 (survey)McCormick: —Marion: —Marlboro: —Newberry: —Oconee: —Orangeburg: —Pickens: $21.41 (survey)Richland: $21.41 (survey)Saluda: $21.41 (survey)Spartanburg: $21.41 (survey)Sumter: $21.41 (survey)Union: —Williamsburg: —York: $21.41 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hrn/asurvey 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)$20$30$40$50/hrSpartanburg (Spartanburg): market median $22.69, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$1.28Spartanburg (Spartanburg)−$1.28Darlington (Florence): market median $23.12, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$1.71Darlington (Florence)−$1.71Anderson (Greenville): market median $28.06, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$6.65Anderson (Greenville)−$6.65York (Charlotte): market median $30.43, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$9.02York (Charlotte)−$9.02Horry (South Carolina): market median $30.83, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$9.42Horry (South Carolina)−$9.42Calhoun (Columbia): market median $31.67, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$10.26Calhoun (Columbia)−$10.26Aiken (Augusta): market median $36.99, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$15.58Aiken (Augusta)−$15.58Berkeley (Charleston): market median $38.89, prevailing (survey) $21.41, gap −$17.48Berkeley (Charleston)−$17.48
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in South Carolina.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AikenSurvey SUSC2011-028 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260032
AndersonSurvey SUSC2011-017 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260021
BerkeleySurvey SUSC2011-018 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260022
CalhounSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260033
CharlestonSurvey SUSC2011-019 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260023
DarlingtonSurvey SUSC2011-030 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260005
DorchesterSurvey SUSC2011-020 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260024
EdgefieldSurvey SUSC2011-028 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260032
FairfieldSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260033
FlorenceSurvey SUSC2011-030 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260005
GreenvilleSurvey SUSC2011-021 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260025
HorrySurvey SUSC2011-022 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260026
KershawSurvey SUSC2011-023 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260027
LaurensSurvey SUSC2011-031 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260006
LexingtonSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$19.39$2.02$21.41SC20260033

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

Is construction work growing in South Carolina?

129.7kConstruction jobsSouth Carolina, 2026-08
+4.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k140k19901995200020052010201520202025130kAug 2026
Construction employment in South Carolina (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
Berkeley County3,417$76,959$1,480
Charleston County9,252$76,562$1,472
Greenville County10,145$75,194$1,446
Cherokee County571$75,028$1,443
York County3,694$74,667$1,436
Florence County1,283$74,086$1,425
Spartanburg County5,223$72,543$1,395
Jasper County1,201$72,525$1,395
Lancaster County655$72,297$1,390
Richland County4,681$71,669$1,378
Edgefield County352$70,760$1,361
Calhoun County174$70,492$1,356

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Carolina

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in South Carolina?

The median crane operator in South Carolina earned $30.83 an hour ($64,120 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $23.12–$38.89; the top 10% earn more than $43.00.

Where does South Carolina rank for crane operator pay?

South Carolina ranks 31st of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $30.83 an hour, and 30th after adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.7, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in South Carolina?

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

How many crane operators work in South Carolina?

BLS counted 720 crane and tower operators in South Carolina in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.13; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Carolina 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.