SOC 53-7021 · Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Grand Rapids, MI

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Grand Rapids, Michigan is $61,190 a year ($29.42 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $54,560: half of the 230 people in this job in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 18% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,612).

$61,190average per year

$29.42 / hourMedian $54,560Take-home ≈ $48,161

  • $45K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $55KMedian
  • $67K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

230people in this job
-18%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 4Michigan metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Grand Rapids

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,950 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Grand Rapids earn between $47,500 and $67,290.

  • $45K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $55KMedian
  • $67K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$61,190$5,099$29.42
Median$54,560$4,547$26.23
Entry level (25th percentile)$47,500$3,958$22.84
Experienced (75th percentile)$67,290$5,608$32.35

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

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Grand Rapids

On the average salary of $61,190, a single filer in Grand Rapids takes home about $48,161 a year, or $4,013 a month and $1,852 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).

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

Prices in the Grand Rapids area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $61,190 buys what about $64,042 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Grand Rapids ($47,570). A typical home costs $359,923, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $61,190 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Michigan cities

Grand Rapids ranks 3rd of 4 Michigan metro areas for this job; Saginaw pays the most ($74,100).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in Michigan

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 Grand Rapids: questions

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

$29.42 an hour on average, and $26.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,500, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $48,161 a year ($4,013 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,190. Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).

Do crane and tower operators earn more in Grand Rapids than elsewhere?

The average here is 18% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI (24340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
  • 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). Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.39, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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