SOC 53-7021 · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Scranton, PA

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Scranton, Pennsylvania is $70,000 a year ($33.65 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $71,770: half of the 50 people in this job in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,612).

$70,000average per year

$33.65 / hourMedian $71,770Take-home ≈ $55,926

  • $48K10th
  • $57K25th
  • $72KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

50people in this job
-6%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 8Pennsylvania metros
94cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Scranton

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,970 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Scranton earn between $56,610 and $72,030.

  • $48K10th
  • $57K25th
  • $72KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$70,000$5,833$33.65
Median$71,770$5,981$34.50
Entry level (25th percentile)$56,610$4,718$27.22
Experienced (75th percentile)$72,030$6,002$34.63

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

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Scranton

On the average salary of $70,000, a single filer in Scranton takes home about $55,926 a year, or $4,660 a month and $2,151 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

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

Prices in the Scranton area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.6), so the average $70,000 buys what about $74,821 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Scranton ($46,330). A typical home costs $227,793, or 3.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $70,000 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Pennsylvania cities

Scranton ranks 3rd of 8 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Reading pays the most ($82,170).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in Pennsylvania

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 Scranton: questions

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

$33.65 an hour on average, and $34.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,610, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $55,926 a year ($4,660 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $70,000. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

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

The average here is 6% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA (42540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.6%.
  • 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.68, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.68).

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