Skilled Wages

Crane operator salary in West Virginia

Median $26.36 an hour for 170 crane and tower operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$26.36/hrMedian hourly wageWest Virginia, May data
$54,830/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.43 – $34.6610th to 90th percentilehourly range
170Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Crane operator pay in West Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, West VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrWest Virginia: 10th $17.43 · 25th $19.09 · median $26.36 · 75th $28.76 · 90th $34.66West Virginia$26.36$17.43$34.66United 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: West Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

West Virginia ranks 47th of 50 states for median crane operator pay, and 45th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.45). 170 crane and tower operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.43 – $19.09$36,260 – $39,720roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$19.09 – $28.76$39,720 – $59,810the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.76 – $34.66$59,810 – $72,090the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Crane operator pay by metro in West Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrWashington DC: $44.29Washington DC$44.29Winchester: $30.52Winchester$30.52Huntington: $27.30Huntington$27.30
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators by metro area in West Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$29.95$44.29$45.5341068% above
Winchester$19.75$30.52$42.294016% above
Huntington$18.09$27.30$38.44804% above

Crane operator wages in West Virginia over time

West Virginia, 1999-2025West VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.73United States$26.36West Virginia
Median hourly wage for crane and tower operators, West Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWest Virginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.24$29.45$15.291,230
2000$12.72$23.78$15.891,180
2001$13.57$24.67$16.641,090
2002$13.96$24.98$17.47940
2003$13.55$23.71$17.86860
2004$12.71$21.66$17.99850
2005$12.64$20.84$18.69780
2006$13.40$21.40$18.77980
2007$14.70$22.82$19.36660
2008$14.83$22.18$20.13640
2009$13.98$20.98$21.22410
2010$13.86$20.46$22.23580
2011$14.28$20.44$22.34620
2012$14.12$19.80$22.73890
2013$13.50$18.66$23.38820
2014$17.03$23.16$24.39480
2015$22.08$29.99$24.83290
2016$22.97$30.81$25.08190
2017$24.46$32.13$25.10210
2018$24.99$32.04$26.03230
2019$26.25$33.06$27.26220
2020$27.19$33.82$28.71220
2021$23.36$27.75$29.92420
2022$24.61$27.07$29.49440
2023$29.07$30.71$31.10400
2024$26.27$26.96$31.91200
2025$26.36$26.36$32.73170

In today's dollars, the median crane operator wage in West Virginia changed by -12.1% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for crane operators in West Virginia

On federally funded construction in West Virginia, contractors must pay crane operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 55 of the 55 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $68.26 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $26.36.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WVBarbour: $68.26 (union)Berkeley: $68.26 (union)Boone: $68.26 (union)Braxton: $68.26 (union)Brooke: $68.26 (union)Cabell: $68.26 (union)Calhoun: $68.26 (union)Clay: $68.26 (union)Doddridge: $68.26 (union)Fayette: $68.26 (union)Gilmer: $68.26 (union)Grant: $68.26 (union)Greenbrier: $68.26 (union)Hampshire: $68.26 (union)Hancock: $68.26 (union)Hardy: $68.26 (union)Harrison: $68.26 (union)Jackson: $68.26 (union)Jefferson: $68.26 (union)Kanawha: $68.26 (union)Lewis: $68.26 (union)Lincoln: $68.26 (union)Logan: $68.26 (union)McDowell: $68.26 (union)Marion: $68.26 (union)Marshall: $68.26 (union)Mason: $68.26 (union)Mercer: $68.26 (union)Mineral: $68.26 (union)Mingo: $68.26 (union)Monongalia: $68.26 (union)Monroe: $68.26 (union)Morgan: $68.26 (union)Nicholas: $68.26 (union)Ohio: $68.26 (union)Pendleton: $68.26 (union)Pleasants: $68.26 (union)Pocahontas: $68.26 (union)Preston: $68.26 (union)Putnam: $68.26 (union)Raleigh: $68.26 (union)Randolph: $68.26 (union)Ritchie: $68.26 (union)Roane: $68.26 (union)Summers: $68.26 (union)Taylor: $68.26 (union)Tucker: $68.26 (union)Tyler: $68.26 (union)Upshur: $68.26 (union)Wayne: $68.26 (union)Webster: $68.26 (union)Wetzel: $68.26 (union)Wirt: $68.26 (union)Wood: $68.26 (union)Wyoming: $68.26 (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/hrBerkeley (West Virginia): market median $26.36, prevailing (union) $68.26, gap +$41.90Berkeley (West Virginia)+$41.90Cabell (Huntington): market median $27.30, prevailing (union) $68.26, gap +$40.96Cabell (Huntington)+$40.96Hampshire (Winchester): market median $30.52, prevailing (union) $68.26, gap +$37.74Hampshire (Winchester)+$37.74Jefferson (Washington DC): market median $44.29, prevailing (union) $68.26, gap +$23.97Jefferson (Washington DC)+$23.97
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for crane operators, metro counties in West Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BarbourUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260033
BerkeleyUnion ENGI0132-009 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260034
BooneUnion ENGI0132-011 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260049
BraxtonUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260004
BrookeUnion ENGI0132-012 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260050
CabellUnion ENGI0132-010 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260035
CalhounUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260033
ClayUnion ENGI0132-011 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260049
DoddridgeUnion ENGI0132-006 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260005
FayetteUnion ENGI0132-008 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260006
GilmerUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260007
GrantUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260008
GreenbrierUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260009
HampshireUnion ENGI0132-009 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260036
HancockUnion ENGI0132-012 2024-12-01$46.21$22.05$68.26WV20260050

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

Is construction work growing in West Virginia?

36.1kConstruction jobsWest Virginia, 2026-08
-1.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k1990199520002005201020152020202536kAug 2026
Construction employment in West 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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
McDowell County12$83,385$1,604
Brooke County143$82,021$1,577
Putnam County1,081$81,436$1,566
Cabell County1,328$76,653$1,474
Marshall County328$76,068$1,463
Kanawha County2,097$75,814$1,458
Mineral County205$72,925$1,402
Harrison County1,125$72,447$1,393
Lewis County291$72,256$1,390
Wood County1,098$72,016$1,385
Wetzel County182$71,927$1,383
Monongalia County1,370$71,329$1,372

Keep comparing

Crane operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in West Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do crane operators make in West Virginia?

The median crane operator in West Virginia earned $26.36 an hour ($54,830 a year) in May 2025, 19% below the national median of $32.73. The middle half earn $19.09–$28.76; the top 10% earn more than $34.66.

Where does West Virginia rank for crane operator pay?

West Virginia ranks 47th of 50 states for crane operator pay, with a median of $26.36 an hour, and 45th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).

What is the union crane operator rate in West Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for crane operators in 55 counties, with a typical package of $68.26 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many crane operators work in West Virginia?

BLS counted 170 crane and tower operators in West Virginia in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.90; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, West Virginia 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.