Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,350 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Denver earn between $77,120 and $79,040.
- $73K10th
- $77K25th
- $77KMedian
- $79K75th
- $92K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,990 | $6,582 | $37.98 |
| Median | $77,200 | $6,433 | $37.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,120 | $6,427 | $37.08 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,040 | $6,587 | $38.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $78,990, a single filer in Denver takes home about $61,632 a year, or $5,136 a month and $2,370 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $78,990 buys what about $74,672 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 2nd of 2 Colorado metro areas for this job; Greeley pays the most ($84,980).
- Greeley$84,980
- Denver$78,990
Highest-paying cities for crane and tower operators
Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,530).
- Honolulu, HI$118,530
- New York, NY$116,710
- Las Vegas, NV$115,300
- Kennewick, WA$111,710
- Buffalo, NY$109,610
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Crane and Tower Operators salary in Denver: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Denver?
$37.98 an hour on average, and $37.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,120, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Denver?
About $61,632 a year ($5,136 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,990. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- 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). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.57, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.57).
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