Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Rockford
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,540 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Rockford earn between $38,570 and $60,690.
- $38K10th
- $39K25th
- $49KMedian
- $61K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,430 | $4,286 | $24.73 |
| Median | $49,400 | $4,117 | $23.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,570 | $3,214 | $18.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,690 | $5,058 | $29.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Rockford
On the average salary of $51,430, a single filer in Rockford takes home about $41,099 a year, or $3,425 a month and $1,581 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 (2025 rules).
Is Rockford a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rockford area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $51,430 buys what about $55,809 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Rockford ($47,120). A typical home costs $221,368, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Illinois cities
Rockford ranks 2nd of 2 Illinois metro areas for this job; Chicago pays the most ($62,560).
- Chicago$62,560
- Rockford$51,430
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 Rockford: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Rockford?
$24.73 an hour on average, and $23.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Rockford?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Rockford?
About $41,099 a year ($3,425 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,430.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in Rockford than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% 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 Rockford, IL (40420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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