Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Richmond
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,380 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Richmond earn between $49,250 and $73,540.
- $41K10th
- $49K25th
- $61KMedian
- $74K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,080 | $5,090 | $29.37 |
| Median | $61,180 | $5,098 | $29.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,250 | $4,104 | $23.68 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,540 | $6,128 | $35.36 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Richmond
On the average salary of $61,080, a single filer in Richmond takes home about $48,560 a year, or $4,047 a month and $1,868 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).
Is Richmond a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Richmond area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.9), so the average $61,080 buys what about $62,417 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Richmond ($51,460). A typical home costs $397,705, or 6.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Virginia cities
Richmond ranks 3rd of 4 Virginia metro areas for this job; Virginia Beach pays the most ($71,430).
- Virginia Beach$71,430
- Winchester$66,620
- Richmond$61,080
- Roanoke$57,380
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 Richmond: questions
How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Richmond?
$29.36 an hour on average, and $29.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Richmond?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,250, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Richmond?
About $48,560 a year ($4,047 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,080.
Do crane and tower operators earn more in Richmond than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% 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 Richmond, VA (40060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.7%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.91, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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