Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Tennessee

Median $28.56 an hour for 660 crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$28.56/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$59,410/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.66 – $40.4310th to 90th percentilehourly range
660Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Crane operator pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $19.66 · 25th $22.07 · median $28.56 · 75th $37.94 · 90th $40.43Tennessee$28.56$19.66$40.43United 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: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 44th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 39th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.08). 660 crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$19.66 – $22.07$40,890 – $45,910roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.07 – $37.94$45,910 – $78,920the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$37.94 – $40.43$78,920 – $84,090the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNashville: $36.90Nashville$36.90Jackson: $28.56Jackson$28.56Knoxville: $28.21Knoxville$28.21Memphis: $25.77Memphis$25.77Chattanooga: $21.77Chattanooga$21.77
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Nashville$21.63$36.90$41.6221029% above
Jackson$20.49$28.56$36.6970about the same as
Knoxville$19.46$28.21$37.791101% below
Memphis$18.29$25.77$39.7211010% below
Chattanooga$18.63$21.77$37.476024% below

Crane operator wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.73United States$28.56Tennessee
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.89$24.91$15.29810
2000$13.25$24.77$15.891,130
2001$14.14$25.70$16.641,020
2002$14.36$25.70$17.471,060
2003$14.19$24.83$17.861,050
2004$14.52$24.75$17.991,010
2005$17.66$29.11$18.69770
2006$17.23$27.52$18.771,000
2007$18.67$28.99$19.36710
2008$17.97$26.87$20.13640
2009$18.23$27.36$21.22660
2010$18.70$27.61$22.23610
2011$18.83$26.95$22.34660
2012$19.48$27.32$22.73660
2013$19.05$26.33$23.38720
2014$20.25$27.54$24.39680
2015$20.44$27.76$24.83610
2016$21.64$29.03$25.08510
2017$23.92$31.42$25.10590
2018$25.11$32.19$26.03690
2019$26.35$33.18$27.26590
2020$21.39$26.61$28.71890
2021$27.01$32.09$29.92750
2022$25.39$27.93$29.49990
2023$26.22$27.70$31.10740
2024$27.18$27.90$31.91500
2025$28.56$28.56$32.73660

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Tennessee changed by +2.9% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 74 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $49.65 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $29.31). The market median for the state is $28.56.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $49.65 (union)Bedford: $49.65 (union)Benton: $49.65 (union)Bledsoe: $49.65 (union)Blount: $49.65 (union)Bradley: $49.65 (union)Campbell: $49.65 (union)Cannon: $29.31 (survey)Carroll: $49.65 (union)Carter: $49.65 (union)Cheatham: $29.31 (survey)Chester: $33.45 (survey)Claiborne: $49.65 (union)Clay: $49.65 (union)Cocke: $49.65 (union)Coffee: $49.65 (union)Crockett: $33.45 (survey)Cumberland: $49.65 (union)Davidson: $29.31 (survey)Decatur: $49.65 (union)DeKalb: $49.65 (union)Dickson: $29.31 (survey)Dyer: $49.65 (union)Fayette: $33.45 (survey)Fentress: $49.65 (union)Franklin: $49.65 (union)Gibson: $49.65 (union)Giles: $49.65 (union)Grainger: $49.65 (union)Greene: $49.65 (union)Grundy: $49.65 (union)Hamblen: $49.65 (union)Hamilton: $49.65 (union)Hancock: $49.65 (union)Hardeman: $49.65 (union)Hardin: $49.65 (union)Hawkins: $49.65 (union)Haywood: $49.65 (union)Henderson: $49.65 (union)Henry: $49.65 (union)Hickman: $29.31 (survey)Houston: $49.65 (union)Humphreys: $49.65 (union)Jackson: $49.65 (union)Jefferson: $49.65 (union)Johnson: $49.65 (union)Knox: $49.65 (union)Lake: $49.65 (union)Lauderdale: $49.65 (union)Lawrence: $49.65 (union)Lewis: $49.65 (union)Lincoln: $49.65 (union)Loudon: $49.65 (union)McMinn: $49.65 (union)McNairy: $49.65 (union)Macon: $29.31 (survey)Madison: $33.45 (survey)Marion: $49.65 (union)Marshall: $49.65 (union)Maury: $29.31 (survey)Meigs: $49.65 (union)Monroe: $49.65 (union)Montgomery: $29.31 (survey)Moore: $49.65 (union)Morgan: $49.65 (union)Obion: $49.65 (union)Overton: $49.65 (union)Perry: $49.65 (union)Pickett: $49.65 (union)Polk: $49.65 (union)Putnam: $49.65 (union)Rhea: $49.65 (union)Roane: $49.65 (union)Robertson: $29.31 (survey)Rutherford: $29.31 (survey)Scott: $49.65 (union)Sequatchie: $49.65 (union)Sevier: $49.65 (union)Shelby: $33.45 (survey)Smith: $29.31 (survey)Stewart: $49.65 (union)Sullivan: $49.65 (union)Sumner: $29.31 (survey)Tipton: $33.45 (survey)Trousdale: $29.31 (survey)Unicoi: $49.65 (union)Union: $49.65 (union)Van Buren: $49.65 (union)Warren: $49.65 (union)Washington: $49.65 (union)Wayne: $49.65 (union)Weakley: $49.65 (union)White: $49.65 (union)Williamson: $29.31 (survey)Wilson: $29.31 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$33.45survey 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 (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrHamilton (Chattanooga): market median $21.77, prevailing (union) $49.65, gap +$27.88Hamilton (Chattanooga)+$27.88Anderson (Knoxville): market median $28.21, prevailing (union) $49.65, gap +$21.44Anderson (Knoxville)+$21.44Bradley (Tennessee): market median $28.56, prevailing (union) $49.65, gap +$21.09Bradley (Tennessee)+$21.09Gibson (Jackson): market median $28.56, prevailing (union) $49.65, gap +$21.09Gibson (Jackson)+$21.09Fayette (Memphis): market median $25.77, prevailing (survey) $33.45, gap +$7.68Fayette (Memphis)+$7.68Cannon (Nashville): market median $36.90, prevailing (survey) $29.31, gap −$7.59Cannon (Nashville)−$7.59
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AndersonUnion ENGI0917-003 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260176
BedfordUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260151
BentonUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260152
BledsoeUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260153
BlountUnion ENGI0917-004 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260177
BradleyUnion ENGI0917-004 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260194
CampbellUnion ENGI0917-004 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260195
CarrollUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260152
CarterUnion ENGI0917-004 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260197
ClaiborneUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260154
ClayUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260154
CockeUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260153
CoffeeUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260151
CumberlandUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260155
DecaturUnion ENGI0917-002 2024-05-01$36.25$13.40$49.65TN20260156

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (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
Bedford County921$94,972$1,826
Haywood County235$90,389$1,738
Roane County598$87,468$1,682
Marion County286$87,072$1,674
Williamson County5,452$85,205$1,639
Davidson County20,362$85,012$1,635
Shelby County13,271$84,922$1,633
Anderson County1,351$81,706$1,571
Wilson County2,332$79,342$1,526
Sumner County3,111$79,181$1,523
Robertson County1,220$77,372$1,488
Rutherford County4,977$76,799$1,477

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Tennessee?

The median crane operator in Tennessee earned $28.56 an hour ($59,410 a year) in May 2025, 13% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $22.07–$37.94; the top 10% earn more than $40.43.

Where does Tennessee rank for crane operator pay?

Tennessee ranks 44th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $28.56 an hour, and 39th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 74 counties, with a typical package of $49.65 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 660 crane and tower operators in Tennessee in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.73; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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