The average salary for a crane operator in Colorado is around $77,120 per year.
Avg Salary
Crane operators earn an average yearly salary of $77,120.
Wages typically start from $57,800 and go up to $97,470.
1% above national average Updated in 2025
Crane operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$46.86 per hour
$97,470 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$38.00 per hour
$79,040 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$37.08 per hour
$77,120 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$31.49 per hour
$65,500 per year
10th percentile
Starting level crane operator earnings begin at:
$27.79 per hour
$57,800 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Crane operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $98,150 |
| Alaska | $92,490 |
| Maryland | $87,950 |
| New York | $85,850 |
| Oregon | $83,260 |
| North Dakota | $82,890 |
| Montana | $82,800 |
| Connecticut | $81,360 |
| Minnesota | $80,930 |
| California | $79,570 |
| District of Columbia | $79,260 |
| Wyoming | $77,970 |
| Colorado | $77,120 |
| Kansas | $77,100 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $76,600 |
| Texas | $73,280 |
| Vermont | $72,760 |
| Florida | $71,560 |
| South Dakota | $71,000 |
| Wisconsin | $67,720 |
| Iowa | $67,600 |
| Utah | $67,410 |
| Arizona | $67,350 |
| Virginia | $66,600 |
| Maine | $65,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,190 |
| North Carolina | $64,480 |
| South Carolina | $64,120 |
| Oklahoma | $63,590 |
| New Hampshire | $63,310 |
| New Mexico | $62,400 |
| Georgia | $62,050 |
| Kentucky | $62,000 |
| Illinois | $61,820 |
| Mississippi | $61,260 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 |
| Alabama | $60,790 |
| Nebraska | $60,720 |
| Delaware | $60,160 |
| Michigan | $59,740 |
| Tennessee | $59,410 |
| Missouri | $58,450 |
| Ohio | $57,620 |
| West Virginia | $54,830 |
| Indiana | $52,950 |
| Idaho | $52,770 |
| Guam | $50,350 |
| Arkansas | $41,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,320 |
| Hawaii | $124,260 |
| Nevada | $115,840 |
| Rhode Island | $104,340 |
| Washington | $101,110 |
| New Jersey | $100,640 |
How do crane operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Crane operators earn about the same as related careers in Colorado. On average, they make less than building inspectors but more than wellhead pumpers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Building inspector salary | $80K |
| Surveyor salary | $79K |
| Mining machine operator salary | $81K |
| Drafter salary | $76K |
| Rotary drill operator salary | $80K |
| Crane operator salary | $77K |
| Rigger salary | $74K |
| Millwright salary | $81K |
| Water treatment plant operator salary | $74K |
| Wellhead pumper salary | $73K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)