Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Fargo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $105,890 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Fargo earn between $74,410 and $105,890.
- $60K10th
- $74K25th
- $82KMedian
- $106K75th
- $106K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $86,980 | $7,248 | $41.82 |
| Median | $81,980 | $6,832 | $39.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $74,410 | $6,201 | $35.77 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $105,890 | $8,824 | $50.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Fargo
On the average salary of $86,980, a single filer in Fargo takes home about $69,605 a year, or $5,800 a month and $2,677 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Fargo, ND-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in ND | $69,605 | $5,800 |
| Working in MN | $65,629 | $5,469 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Fargo a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fargo area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.9), so the average $86,980 buys what about $95,718 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Fargo ($51,050). A typical home costs $327,854, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in nearby metro areas
- St. Cloud, MN$67,740
- Minneapolis, MN$92,950
- Duluth, MN$75,590
- Sioux Falls, SD$65,170
- Waterloo, IA$64,450
- Omaha, NE$66,250
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 Fargo: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Fargo?
$41.82 an hour on average, and $39.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Fargo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $74,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Fargo?
About $69,605 a year ($5,800 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $86,980.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in Fargo than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% 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 Fargo, ND-MN (22020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.00, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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