The average salary for a crane operator in Virginia is around $66,600 per year.
Avg Salary
Crane operators earn an average yearly salary of $66,600.
Wages typically start from $42,720 and go up to $88,480.
11% below national average Updated in 2025
Crane operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$42.54 per hour
$88,480 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$37.32 per hour
$77,630 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$32.02 per hour
$66,600 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level crane operator earnings begin at:
$26.33 per hour
$54,770 per year
10th percentile
Starting level crane operator earnings begin at:
$20.54 per hour
$42,720 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 Virginia. On average, they make less than interior designers but more than pump operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Interior designer salary | $63K |
| Hydroelectric plant technician salary | $62K |
| Electrician salary | $63K |
| Drafter salary | $63K |
| Commercial diver salary | $62K |
| Crane operator salary | $67K |
| Mining machine operator salary | $63K |
| Petroleum pump system operator salary | $59K |
| Boilermaker salary | $68K |
| Pump operator salary | $66K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)