Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Virginia

Median $32.02 an hour for 1,120 crane operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$32.02/hrMedian hourly wageVirginia, May data
$66,600/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.54 – $42.5410th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,120Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Crane operator pay in Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrVirginia: 10th $20.54 · 25th $26.33 · median $32.02 · 75th $37.32 · 90th $42.54Virginia$32.02$20.54$42.54United States: 10th $20.50 · 25th $25.29 · median $32.73 · 75th $40.00 · 90th $49.79United States$32.73
Hourly wage percentiles for crane operators: Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

Virginia ranks 27th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.67). 1,120 crane operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$20.54 – $26.33$42,720 – $54,770roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$26.33 – $37.32$54,770 – $77,630the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.32 – $42.54$77,630 – $88,480the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrWashington DC: $44.29Washington DC$44.29Virginia Beach: $34.33Virginia Beach$34.33Winchester: $30.52Winchester$30.52Richmond: $29.41Richmond$29.41Roanoke: $25.26Roanoke$25.26
Median hourly wage for crane operators by metro area in Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$29.95$44.29$40.67$45.5341038% above
Virginia Beach$25.69$34.33$35.07$42.024307% above
Winchester$19.75$30.52$31.63$42.29405% below
Richmond$19.48$29.41$30.04$38.161708% below
Roanoke$17.30$25.26$26.99$38.934021% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Crane operator wages in Virginia over time

Virginia, 1999-2025VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.73United States$32.02Virginia
Median hourly wage for crane operators, Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearVirginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.32$29.60$15.291,940
2000$16.12$30.14$15.891,770
2001$16.99$30.89$16.641,850
2002$17.71$31.69$17.471,890
2003$18.83$32.95$17.861,420
2004$18.00$30.68$17.991,380
2005$17.46$28.78$18.691,400
2006$19.32$30.85$18.771,580
2007$19.54$30.34$19.361,780
2008$20.61$30.82$20.131,680
2009$20.88$31.33$21.221,620
2010$23.36$34.49$22.231,600
2011$23.83$34.11$22.341,570
2012$24.88$34.89$22.731,670
2013$24.92$34.44$23.381,450
2014$25.82$35.11$24.391,400
2015$26.19$35.57$24.831,090
2016$26.37$35.37$25.08910
2017$28.79$37.81$25.101,220
2018$29.32$37.59$26.031,510
2019$29.43$37.06$27.261,550
2020$29.30$36.45$28.711,450
2021$30.36$36.07$29.921,270
2022$29.62$32.58$29.491,310
2023$31.27$33.04$31.101,070
2024$31.44$32.27$31.911,280
2025$32.02$32.02$32.731,120

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Virginia changed by -10.0% over the last ten years of data and by -13.6% since 2019.

Are there more crane operator jobs in Virginia?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.0× the US share, 25th of 47 states

BLS counted 1,120 crane operators in Virginia in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. 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 Virginia

+2.4%Projected growth in Virginia2024–2034, state agency
120Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,220Jobs in 20241,250 projected for 2034
+3.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of crane operators in the state to change by +2.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,220 to 1,250, with about 120 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,120 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Virginia

On federally funded construction in Virginia, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 60 of the 79 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $58.04 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $34.32). 19 of the 79 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Arlington County at $34.59). The market median for the state is $32.02.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, VAAccomack: n/aAlbemarle: $58.04 (union)Alleghany: n/aAmelia: $58.04 (union)Amherst: $58.04 (union)Appomattox: $58.04 (union)Arlington: $34.59 (survey)Augusta: $58.04 (union)Bath: n/aBedford: $58.04 (union)Bland: n/aBotetourt: $58.04 (union)Brunswick: n/aBuchanan: n/aBuckingham: $58.04 (union)Campbell: $58.04 (union)Caroline: $58.04 (union)Carroll: n/aCharles City: $58.04 (union)Charlotte: n/aChesterfield: $58.04 (union)Clarke: $34.32 (survey)Craig: $58.04 (union)Culpeper: $34.32 (survey)Cumberland: n/aDickenson: n/aDinwiddie: $58.04 (union)Essex: n/aFairfax: $35.16 (survey)Fauquier: $34.32 (survey)Floyd: $58.04 (union)Fluvanna: $58.04 (union)Franklin: $58.04 (union)Frederick: $34.32 (survey)Giles: $58.04 (union)Gloucester: $58.04 (union)Goochland: $58.04 (union)Grayson: n/aGreene: $58.04 (union)Greensville: n/aHalifax: n/aHanover: $58.04 (union)Henrico: $58.04 (union)Henry: n/aHighland: n/aIsle of Wight: $58.04 (union)James City: $58.04 (union)King and Queen: n/aKing George: n/aKing William: $58.04 (union)Lancaster: n/aLee: n/aLoudoun: $34.32 (survey)Louisa: n/aLunenburg: n/aMadison: n/aMathews: $58.04 (union)Mecklenburg: n/aMiddlesex: n/aMontgomery: $58.04 (union)Nelson: $58.04 (union)New Kent: $58.04 (union)Northampton: n/aNorthumberland: n/aNottoway: n/aOrange: n/aPage: n/aPatrick: n/aPittsylvania: n/aPowhatan: $58.04 (union)Prince Edward: n/aPrince George: $58.04 (union)Prince William: $34.32 (survey)Pulaski: $58.04 (union)Rappahannock: $34.32 (survey)Richmond: n/aRoanoke: $58.04 (union)Rockbridge: n/aRockingham: $58.04 (union)Russell: n/aScott: $58.04 (union)Shenandoah: n/aSmyth: n/aSouthampton: n/aSpotsylvania: $34.32 (survey)Stafford: $34.32 (survey)Surry: n/aSussex: $58.04 (union)Tazewell: n/aWarren: $34.32 (survey)Washington: $58.04 (union)Westmoreland: n/aWise: n/aWythe: n/aYork: $58.04 (union)Alexandria: $34.59 (survey)Bristol: $58.04 (union)Buena Vista: n/aCharlottesville: $58.04 (union)Chesapeake: n/aColonial Heights: $58.04 (union)Covington: n/aDanville: n/aEmporia: n/aFairfax: $35.16 (survey)Falls Church: $35.16 (survey)Franklin: n/aFredericksburg: $34.32 (survey)Galax: n/aHampton: $58.04 (union)Harrisonburg: $58.04 (union)Hopewell: $58.04 (union)Lexington: n/aLynchburg: $58.04 (union)Manassas: $34.32 (survey)Manassas Park: $34.32 (survey)Martinsville: n/aNewport News: $58.04 (union)Norfolk: $58.04 (union)Norton: n/aPetersburg: $58.04 (union)Poquoson: $58.04 (union)Portsmouth: $58.04 (union)Radford: $58.04 (union)Richmond: $58.04 (union)Roanoke: $58.04 (union)Salem: $58.04 (union)Staunton: $58.04 (union)Suffolk: $58.04 (union)Virginia Beach: $58.04 (union)Waynesboro: $58.04 (union)Williamsburg: $58.04 (union)Winchester: $34.32 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$34.93n/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 (union)Prevailing (survey)$20$30$40$50$60$70/hrBotetourt (Roanoke): market median $25.26, prevailing (union) $58.04, gap +$32.78Botetourt (Roanoke)+$32.78Amelia (Richmond): market median $29.41, prevailing (union) $58.04, gap +$28.63Amelia (Richmond)+$28.63Albemarle (Virginia): market median $32.02, prevailing (union) $58.04, gap +$26.02Albemarle (Virginia)+$26.02Gloucester (Virginia Beach): market median $34.33, prevailing (union) $58.04, gap +$23.71Gloucester (Virginia Beach)+$23.71Frederick (Winchester): market median $30.52, prevailing (survey) $34.32, gap +$3.80Frederick (Winchester)+$3.80Fairfax (Washington DC): market median $44.29, prevailing (survey) $35.16, gap −$9.13Fairfax (Washington DC)−$9.13
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlbemarleUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260011
AmeliaUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260170
AmherstUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260171
AppomattoxUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260012
AugustaUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260014
BedfordUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260171
BotetourtUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260172
BuckinghamUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260173
CampbellUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260171
CarolineUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260015
Charles CityUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260170
ChesterfieldUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260017
CraigUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260172
DinwiddieUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260019
FloydUnion ENGI0147-019 2025-06-01$39.99$18.05$58.04VA20260175

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Virginia prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Virginia?

230.8kConstruction jobsVirginia, 2026-09
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025231kSep 2026
Construction employment in Virginia (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. Across the 117 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 111,128 in 2015 to 136,979 in 2025, +23.3%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Goochland County76666$106,792$2,054
Arlington County82336$104,574$2,011
Lexington city34$104,428$2,008
Loudoun County52719,752$103,592$1,992
Northumberland County2997$101,173$1,946
New Kent County56276$92,843$1,785
Manassas city1601,620$91,326$1,756
Newport News city1683,274$89,428$1,720
Alexandria city1081,070$85,539$1,645
Henrico County4629,415$84,149$1,618
Fairfax County1,24312,936$83,139$1,599
Louisa County79596$83,083$1,598

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Virginia

More on Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Virginia?

The median crane operator in Virginia earned $32.02 an hour ($66,600 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $26.33–$37.32; the top 10% earn more than $42.54.

Where does Virginia rank for crane operator pay?

Virginia ranks 27th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $32.02 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 60 counties, with a typical package of $58.04 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in Virginia?

BLS counted 1,120 crane operators in Virginia in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.99; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is crane operator work growing in Virginia?

Virginia's labor market agency projects +2.4% growth for crane operators between 2024 and 2034, from 1,220 to 1,250 jobs.

How many crane operator openings a year are there in Virginia?

Virginia projects about 120 openings a year for crane operators over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 3,500 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.