Crane and Tower Operators pay range in St. Cloud
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,840 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in St. Cloud earn between $53,890 and $83,200.
- $37K10th
- $54K25th
- $58KMedian
- $83K75th
- $107K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,740 | $5,645 | $32.57 |
| Median | $57,680 | $4,807 | $27.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $53,890 | $4,491 | $25.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $83,200 | $6,933 | $40.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in St. Cloud
On the average salary of $67,740, a single filer in St. Cloud takes home about $53,402 a year, or $4,450 a month and $2,054 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 (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Is St. Cloud a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the St. Cloud area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.6), so the average $67,740 buys what about $77,301 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Cloud ($50,840). A typical home costs $318,864, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Minnesota cities
St. Cloud ranks 3rd of 3 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($92,950).
- Minneapolis$92,950
- Duluth$75,590
- St. Cloud$67,740
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 St. Cloud: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in St. Cloud?
$32.57 an hour on average, and $27.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in St. Cloud?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $53,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in St. Cloud?
About $53,402 a year ($4,450 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,740. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in St. Cloud than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 St. Cloud, MN (41060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
- 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). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.18, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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