Crane Operator Salary in Virginia

$32/hr

Understand Virginia crane operator wages alongside equipment duties, lifting schedules, travel arrangements and the benefits included in an employment offer.

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What Crane Operators Earn in Virginia

Virginia crane operators earn $20.54–$42.54/hr across the published wage range shown here, equivalent to $42,720–$88,480 a year. These employee figures exclude premium pay and benefits. Crane hire and rental charges cover separate business costs. Read an offer alongside the crane configuration, lifting duties and expected hours, then ask how the employer handles travel between assignments. Keep regular wages separate from overtime premiums when comparing weekly totals across different lifting schedules.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$20.54–$26.33/hr
▲ 1.84% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$26.33–$37.32/hr
▲ 1.84% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$37.32–$42.54/hr
▲ 1.84% from last year

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Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other crane operators in Virginia.

What are you making?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Crane Operator
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$31.83
+ IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$5.69
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.19
+ NCCCO Signalperson$0.32
Effective hourly$39.03
Straight · 40 hrs$1,561
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$468
Weekly gross$2,029
Annualised · 50 weeks
$101,465
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

Bridge, utility and commercial building assignments offer different lifting duties. These national industry figures help compare settings and employment offers for a Virginia job search.

01 / 03$37.51/hr

Highway, Street and Bridge Construction

VDOT bridge work has a contractor-licensing exemption. Compare crane shifts around traffic closures and scheduled deliveries with the wage offered. Ask about paid waiting during closure changes.

+ Infrastructure experience
+ Coordinated crews
– Traffic exposure
– Weather interruptions
02 / 03$35.79/hr

Utility System Construction

Virginia utility employers count applicable subcontractor employees toward workers' compensation coverage. Ask about crane setup near excavations and travel between work areas, including moves during the working day.

+ Utility experience
+ Varied sites
– Excavation interfaces
– Changing access
03 / 03$36.89/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Alexandria street-based crane setup needs right-of-way permission. Discuss delivery sequences, tower or mobile duties and the paid hours attached to each offer.

+ Building experience
+ Trade coordination
– Restricted access
– Delivery delays

Which states pay crane operators the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$38.25/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$32.02/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$5.69$11,835$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.19$2,475$1594 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.40$832$594 weeks
NCCCO Signalperson+$0.32$666$22518 weeks
NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator (Core + 1 Specialty)+$1.58$3,286$1,79029 weeks
NCCCO Rigger Level I+$0.95$1,976$1,75047 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $32.02/hr.

40 hr week
$1,281
No OT
50 hr week
$1,761
+$24,015/yr
60 hr week
$2,241
+$48,030/yr
70 hr week
$2,722
+$72,045/yr

Questions workers ask

Can my employer switch me to monthly paychecks?▾
Only if you agree and your weekly wages exceed 150 percent of Virginia's average weekly wage. Otherwise, Virginia Code § 40.1-29 requires paying hourly operators at least every two weeks or twice a month.
Is waiting for a lift paid time?▾
Yes, if you are on duty and required to wait. Federal hours-worked rules count that time as work, unlike periods when you are fully released. Record weather stoppages, delivery delays and rigging preparation; Virginia DOLI handles unpaid wage complaints.
Can out-of-town lodging count as wages?▾
Yes, if your employer customarily furnishes it and you use it. Virginia's Minimum Wage Act counts the reasonable cost of furnished meals and lodging as wages. Deducting that cost from your paycheck still needs your written, signed authorization under Virginia Code § 40.1-29.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Crane and Tower Operators, SOC 53-7021; May 2025 estimates exclude premium pay and benefits and are not crane-hire or rental charges.

Last updated October 29, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.