SOC 53-7021 · Stockton-Lodi, CA metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Stockton, CA

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Stockton, California is $83,410 a year ($40.10 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $77,130: half of the 50 people in this job in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

$83,410average per year

$40.10 / hourMedian $77,130Take-home ≈ $63,844

  • $43K10th
  • $60K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $94K75th
  • $132K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
+16%vs U.S. average
#5 of 10California metros
105cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Stockton

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,330 a year or less, while the top 10% make $132,400 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Stockton earn between $60,340 and $93,980.

  • $43K10th
  • $60K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $94K75th
  • $132K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$83,410$6,951$40.10
Median$77,130$6,428$37.08
Entry level (25th percentile)$60,340$5,028$29.01
Experienced (75th percentile)$93,980$7,832$45.18

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

Crane and Tower Operators pay in Stockton vs. California and the U.S.

Crane and tower operators in Stockton earn 4% less than the California average ($87,030) and 16% more than the U.S. average ($72,130). At the median the gap is +13% against the U.S. median of $68,080.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Stockton$83,410$77,130$43,330$132,40050
California$87,030$79,570$50,550$135,8202,130
United States$72,130$68,080$42,640$103,57042,890

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Stockton

On the average salary of $83,410, a single filer in Stockton takes home about $63,844 a year, or $5,320 a month and $2,456 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Stockton area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.1), so the average $83,410 buys what about $79,371 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Stockton ($48,990). A typical home costs $531,785, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $83,410 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other California cities

Stockton ranks 5th of 10 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($104,910).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in California

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 Stockton: questions

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

$40.10 an hour on average, and $37.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,330 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,340, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $63,844 a year ($5,320 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $83,410. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

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

The average here is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

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 Stockton-Lodi, CA (44700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).

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