SOC 53-7021 · Birmingham, AL metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Birmingham, AL

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Birmingham, Alabama is $52,740 a year ($25.35 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $47,620: half of the 310 people in this job in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 29% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,612).

$52,740average per year

$25.35 / hourMedian $47,620Take-home ≈ $42,367

  • $37K10th
  • $38K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $61K75th
  • $76K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

310people in this job
-29%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 6Alabama metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Birmingham

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,160 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Birmingham earn between $38,090 and $60,880.

  • $37K10th
  • $38K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $61K75th
  • $76K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$52,740$4,395$25.36
Median$47,620$3,968$22.89
Entry level (25th percentile)$38,090$3,174$18.31
Experienced (75th percentile)$60,880$5,073$29.27

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Birmingham

On the average salary of $52,740, a single filer in Birmingham takes home about $42,367 a year, or $3,531 a month and $1,630 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.

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Is Birmingham a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Birmingham area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.6), so the average $52,740 buys what about $57,549 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Birmingham ($47,770). A typical home costs $262,556, or 5.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $52,740 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Alabama cities

Birmingham ranks 5th of 6 Alabama metro areas for this job; Mobile pays the most ($73,280).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in Alabama

Highest-paying cities for crane and tower operators

Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,530).

Crane and Tower Operators salary by city

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Crane and Tower Operators salary in Birmingham: questions

How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Birmingham?

$25.35 an hour on average, and $22.89 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Birmingham?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,090, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Birmingham?

About $42,367 a year ($3,531 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,740. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.

Do crane and tower operators earn more in Birmingham than elsewhere?

The average here is 29% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,612).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-7021; area Birmingham, AL (13820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.7%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 2.15, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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