SOC 53-7021 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · May 2025
How much do Crane and Tower Operators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $75,360. The 10th percentile is $47,750 and the 90th percentile is $99,560. Employment is 230.
Median annual wage
$75,360
- 10th percentile
- $47,750
- 25th percentile
- $61,370
- Median
- $75,360
- 75th percentile
- $88,900
- 90th percentile
- $99,560
- Mean
- $74,370
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

Percentile spread
For Crane and Tower Operators, the published 10th percentile is $47,750 and the 90th percentile is $99,560. The difference is $51,810, which is 68.8% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.
The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $61,370 to the 75th at $88,900, covers $27,530.
The mean annual wage is $74,370, which sits below the median of $75,360. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.
National and state comparison
The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX median is 10.7% higher than the national median of $68,080 for Crane and Tower Operators. In 2024 national prices the local median is $76,846, which is 12.9% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.
It is 2.8% higher than the Texas median of $73,280.
Price-adjusted pay
The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is 98.066, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $75,360 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Crane and Tower Operators at $76,846 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.
Nearby metros
8 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Crane and Tower Operators. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX ranks 3rd of 9 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).
- Killeen-Temple, TX is 66 miles away, with a median of $76,010 and employment of 40. That median is 0.9% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $83,406, against $76,846 here.
- College Station-Bryan, TX is 77 miles away, with a median of $60,520 and employment of 40. That median is 19.7% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $66,541, against $76,846 here.
- San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX is 80 miles away, with a median of $68,200 and employment of 270. That median is 9.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $72,005, against $76,846 here.
Employment share
Crane and Tower Operators accounts for 0.02% of wage-and-salary employment in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX (230 of 1,293,690). Nationally the occupation is 0.03% of employment (42,890 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.64 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.
Highest-paying jobs in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX · Crane and Tower Operators by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices
Questions this page answers
How much do Crane and Tower Operators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Crane and Tower Operators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $75,360. The 10th percentile is $47,750 and the 90th percentile is $99,560. Employment is 230.
How does that compare with the national median for Crane and Tower Operators?
The local median is 10.7% higher than the national median of $68,080.
What is Crane and Tower Operators pay in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX after local prices?
The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is 98.066, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $75,360 is $76,846. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.
How does Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX compare with nearby metros for Crane and Tower Operators?
Killeen-Temple, TX is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 66 miles away, at $76,010. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX ranks 3rd of 9 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.