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Occupational Employment Statistics


DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

53-7021 Crane and Tower Operators



Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions. Excludes “Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators" (53-7032).

Geography Click link for Career Profile EmploymentEmp SE*Percentiles
Mean10th25thMedian75th90th
Northeast Minnesota 206$35.75/hr$30.60/hr$34.32/hr$34.32/hr$35.52/hr$45.13/hr


IndustryOES Employment (Statewide)OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Construction100$49.89/hr
Manufacturing60$32.08/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities30$19.42/hr
Public AdministrationN/AN/A
 
Geography Click link for details EmploymentMedian WageProjections
% Change 2020-2030
La Crosse WI-MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Rochester MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
St Cloud MN MSA N/AN/AN/A
Northwest Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Northeast Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Southeast Balance of State N/AN/AN/A
Southwest Balance of State 20$29.14/hrN/A
Northeast Minnesota 20$34.32/hr0.0%
Northwest Minnesota 20$30.15/hr0.0%
Southeast Minnesota 20$32.08/hr5.9%
Duluth MN-WI MSA 30$34.32/hrN/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA 30$32.10/hrN/A
Central Minnesota 30$43.33/hr2.2%
Southwest Minnesota 40$34.54/hr19.2%
Fargo ND-MN MSA 50$33.16/hrN/A
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN 70$34.21/hrN/A
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA 90$34.40/hrN/A
Minnesota 200$34.21/hr4.0%




  • Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
  • Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
  • Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
  • Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
  • Weigh bundles, using floor scales, and record weights for company records.
  • Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
  • Load or unload bundles from trucks, or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.
  • Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
  • Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
  • Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements, and remove and batch packaging tickets.