SOC 53-7021 · Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Albany, NY

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Albany, New York is $107,670 a year ($51.76 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $73,010: half of the 40 people in this job in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 44% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,612).

$107,670average per year

$51.76 / hourMedian $73,010Take-home ≈ $79,164

  • $52K10th
  • $61K25th
  • $73KMedian
  • $110K75th
  • $314K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
+44%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 3New York metros
100cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Albany

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $314,100 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Albany earn between $60,580 and $110,490.

  • $52K10th
  • $61K25th
  • $73KMedian
  • $110K75th
  • $314K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$107,670$8,972$51.76
Median$73,010$6,084$35.10
Entry level (25th percentile)$60,580$5,048$29.12
Experienced (75th percentile)$110,490$9,208$53.12

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

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Albany

On the average salary of $107,670, a single filer in Albany takes home about $79,164 a year, or $6,597 a month and $3,045 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

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

Prices in the Albany area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 99.6), so the average $107,670 buys what about $108,139 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Albany ($58,460). A typical home costs $370,533, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $107,670 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other New York cities

Albany ranks 3rd of 3 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($116,710).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in New York

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 Albany: questions

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

$51.76 an hour on average, and $35.10 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,580, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $79,164 a year ($6,597 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $107,670. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

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

The average here is 44% 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 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY (10580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 19.3%.
  • 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.35, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.35).

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