SOC 53-7021 · Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Huntington, WV

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Huntington, West Virginia is $60,650 a year ($29.16 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $56,780: half of the 80 people in this job in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 16% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

$60,650average per year

$29.16 / hourMedian $56,780Take-home ≈ $49,019

  • $38K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $80K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

80people in this job
-16%vs U.S. average
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Huntington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,620 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,950 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Huntington earn between $50,300 and $71,760.

  • $38K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $80K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$60,650$5,054$29.16
Median$56,780$4,732$27.30
Entry level (25th percentile)$50,300$4,192$24.18
Experienced (75th percentile)$71,760$5,980$34.50

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

Crane and Tower Operators pay in Huntington vs. West Virginia and the U.S.

Crane and tower operators in Huntington earn 11% more than the West Virginia average ($54,450) and 16% less than the U.S. average ($72,130). At the median the gap is -17% against the U.S. median of $68,080.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Huntington$60,650$56,780$37,620$79,95080
West Virginia$54,450$54,830$36,260$72,090170
United States$72,130$68,080$42,640$103,57042,890

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Huntington

On the average salary of $60,650, a single filer in Huntington takes home about $49,019 a year, or $4,085 a month and $1,885 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in OH$49,687$4,141
Working in WV$49,019$4,085
Working in KY$48,907$4,076

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

West Virginia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Huntington area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.4), so the average $60,650 buys what about $68,592 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Huntington ($44,600). A typical home costs $166,506, or 2.7 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $60,650 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in nearby metro areas

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 Huntington: questions

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

$29.16 an hour on average, and $27.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,620 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,300, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $49,019 a year ($4,085 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,650.

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

The average here is 16% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH (26580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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 1.95, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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