Crane and Tower Operators pay range in McAllen
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,760 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in McAllen earn between $43,780 and $69,290.
- $30K10th
- $44K25th
- $56KMedian
- $69K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $56,610 | $4,718 | $27.22 |
| Median | $56,300 | $4,692 | $27.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,780 | $3,648 | $21.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $69,290 | $5,774 | $33.31 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in McAllen
On the average salary of $56,610, a single filer in McAllen takes home about $47,666 a year, or $3,972 a month and $1,833 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is McAllen a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the McAllen area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $56,610 buys what about $65,906 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in McAllen ($35,830). A typical home costs $193,978, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Texas cities
McAllen ranks 15th of 17 Texas metro areas for this job; Midland pays the most ($78,410).
- Midland$78,410
- Austin$74,370
- Odessa$74,020
- Corpus Christi$71,520
- Houston$70,810
- Dallas$69,630
- Beaumont$68,190
- Killeen$68,080
- San Antonio$67,520
- McAllen$56,610
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 McAllen: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in McAllen?
$27.22 an hour on average, and $27.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in McAllen?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,780, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in McAllen?
About $47,666 a year ($3,972 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,610. Texas has no state income tax.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in McAllen than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX (32580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.8%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.67, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.67).
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