Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in Washington

Median $48.61 an hour for 1,030 crane operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$48.61/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$101,110/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$30.38 – $64.2110th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,030Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Crane operator pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWashington: 10th $30.38 · 25th $38.05 · median $48.61 · 75th $59.87 · 90th $64.21Washington$48.61$30.38$64.21United 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: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 4th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 4th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $45.43). 1,030 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$30.38 – $38.05$63,180 – $79,150roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$38.05 – $59.87$79,150 – $124,520the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$59.87 – $64.21$124,520 – $133,550the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60$80/hrKennewick: $57.84Kennewick$57.84Mount Vernon: $56.17Mount Vernon$56.17Seattle: $54.96Seattle$54.96Bremerton: $47.75Bremerton$47.75Portland: $38.59Portland$38.59Spokane: $38.22Spokane$38.22
Median hourly wage for crane operators by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Kennewick$37.50$57.84$57.78$61.874019% above
Mount Vernon$39.53$56.17$54.85$62.157016% above
Seattle$30.44$54.96$49.47$65.0057013% above
Bremerton$38.37$47.75$45.22$61.841102% below
Portland$27.39$38.59$36.61$63.8321021% below
Spokane$29.94$38.22$38.11$60.647021% below

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

Crane operator wages in Washington over time

Washington, 1999-2025WashingtonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$48.61Washington$32.73United States
Median hourly wage for crane operators, Washington vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWashington $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.88$42.28$15.291,480
2000$23.21$43.39$15.891,250
2001$24.26$44.10$16.641,120
2002$24.93$44.61$17.47950
2003$25.97$45.44$17.86820
2004$24.94$42.51$17.99870
2005$27.81$45.84$18.691,050
2006$27.46$43.85$18.771,300
2007$28.47$44.21$19.361,330
2008$30.92$46.23$20.131,430
2009$33.52$50.30$21.221,430
2010$35.04$51.73$22.231,470
2011$35.56$50.90$22.341,790
2012$34.81$48.81$22.731,450
2013$35.40$48.92$23.381,500
2014$35.66$48.49$24.391,310
2015$34.11$46.33$24.831,300
2016$33.42$44.83$25.081,250
2017$34.71$45.59$25.101,150
2018$34.77$44.58$26.031,350
2019$36.47$45.93$27.261,380
2020$36.44$45.33$28.711,180
2021$39.13$46.49$29.92740
2022$38.74$42.62$29.491,170
2023$40.06$42.33$31.101,040
2024$46.57$47.80$31.91890
2025$48.61$48.61$32.731,030

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in Washington changed by +4.9% over the last ten years of data and by +5.8% since 2019.

Are there more crane operator jobs in Washington?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.1× the US share, 22nd of 47 states

BLS counted 1,030 crane operators in Washington in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 15%. 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 Washington

+7.2%Projected growth in Washington2024–2034, state agency
130Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,280Jobs in 20241,380 projected for 2034
+3.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Washington's labor market agency projects the number of crane operators in the state to change by +7.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,280 to 1,380, with about 130 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,030 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 20 of the 33 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $90.45 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $63.67). 7 of the 33 counties still use a survey rate dated 2001 or earlier (for example Benton County at $63.67). The market median for the state is $48.61.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $68.76 (union)Asotin: n/aBenton: $63.67 (survey)Chelan: $90.04 (union)Clallam: $90.92 (union)Clark: $72.34 (survey)Columbia: n/aCowlitz: $70.92 (survey)Douglas: $90.04 (union)Ferry: $25.53 (survey)Franklin: $63.67 (survey)Garfield: $25.53 (survey)Grant: $68.76 (union)Grays Harbor: $30.40 (survey)Island: $90.92 (union)Jefferson: $90.92 (union)King: $90.60 (union)Kitsap: $89.40 (union)Kittitas: $90.92 (union)Klickitat: $80.41 (union)Lewis: $90.31 (union)Lincoln: $25.53 (survey)Mason: $90.92 (union)Okanogan: $90.92 (union)Pacific: $90.31 (union)Pend Oreille: n/aPierce: $57.39 (survey)San Juan: $90.92 (union)Skagit: $90.86 (union)Skamania: $72.34 (survey)Snohomish: $81.67 (survey)Spokane: n/aStevens: n/aThurston: $89.13 (union)Wahkiakum: $80.41 (union)Walla Walla: n/aWhatcom: $90.86 (union)Whitman: $25.53 (survey)Yakima: $70.92 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$63.67$72.34$90.04$90.90n/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$40$60$80$100/hrWhatcom (Washington): market median $48.61, prevailing (union) $90.86, gap +$42.25Whatcom (Washington)+$42.25Kitsap (Bremerton): market median $47.75, prevailing (union) $89.40, gap +$41.65Kitsap (Bremerton)+$41.65King (Seattle): market median $54.96, prevailing (union) $90.60, gap +$35.64King (Seattle)+$35.64Skagit (Mount Vernon): market median $56.17, prevailing (union) $90.86, gap +$34.69Skagit (Mount Vernon)+$34.69Clark (Portland): market median $38.59, prevailing (survey) $72.34, gap +$33.75Clark (Portland)+$33.75Benton (Kennewick): market median $57.84, prevailing (survey) $63.67, gap +$5.83Benton (Kennewick)+$5.83
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ClallamUnion ENGI0302-023 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260022
IslandUnion ENGI0302-023 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260028
JeffersonUnion ENGI0302-023 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260029
KittitasUnion ENGI0302-022 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260030
MasonUnion ENGI0302-023 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260034
OkanoganUnion ENGI0302-022 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260035
San JuanUnion ENGI0302-023 2025-06-01$63.35$27.57$90.92WA20260038
SkagitUnion ENGI0302-103 2025-06-01$63.29$27.57$90.86WA20260112
WhatcomUnion ENGI0302-103 2025-06-01$63.29$27.57$90.86WA20260118
KingUnion ENGI0302-055 2025-06-01$62.85$27.75$90.60WA20260108
LewisUnion ENGI0612-018 2025-06-01$62.99$27.32$90.31WA20260032
PacificUnion ENGI0612-017 2025-06-01$62.99$27.32$90.31WA20260036
ChelanUnion ENGI0302-112 2025-06-01$62.47$27.57$90.04WA20260103
DouglasUnion ENGI0302-066 2025-06-01$62.47$27.57$90.04WA20260106
KitsapUnion ENGI0302-101 2025-06-01$61.83$27.57$89.40WA20260109

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

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.9kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-09
+0.7%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kSep 2026
Construction employment in Washington (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 34 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 103,575 in 2015 to 131,891 in 2025, +27.3%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
King County3,68643,001$99,762$1,919
Cowlitz County2672,630$97,790$1,881
Skagit County3522,570$91,962$1,769
Whatcom County4924,315$87,963$1,692
Chelan County2881,502$84,463$1,624
Thurston County6123,935$82,188$1,581
Asotin County44308$80,442$1,547
Pierce County1,91815,353$79,740$1,533
Snohomish County2,31217,374$79,367$1,526
Benton County5034,809$78,506$1,510
Clark County1,36210,966$76,418$1,470
Kittitas County142868$76,417$1,470

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Washington

More on Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in Washington?

The median crane operator in Washington earned $48.61 an hour ($101,110 a year) in May 2025, 49% above the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $38.05–$59.87; the top 10% earn more than $64.21.

Where does Washington rank for crane operator pay?

Washington ranks 4th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $48.61 an hour, and 4th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 20 counties, with a typical package of $90.45 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in Washington?

BLS counted 1,030 crane operators in Washington in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.05; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is crane operator work growing in Washington?

Washington's labor market agency projects +7.2% growth for crane operators between 2024 and 2034, from 1,280 to 1,380 jobs.

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

Washington projects about 130 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, Washington 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: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.