SOC 53-7021 · Decatur, AL metro

Crane and Tower Operators Salary in Decatur, AL

The average salary for crane and tower operators in Decatur, Alabama is $66,080 a year ($31.77 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $45,640: half of the 100 people in this job in the Decatur, AL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

$66,080average per year

$31.77 / hourMedian $45,640Take-home ≈ $52,499

  • $39K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $46KMedian
  • $105K75th
  • $105K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

100people in this job
-8%vs U.S. average
#2 of 6Alabama metros
87cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Crane and Tower Operators pay range in Decatur

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $104,670 or more. The middle half of crane and tower operators in Decatur earn between $45,640 and $104,670.

  • $39K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $46KMedian
  • $105K75th
  • $105K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$66,080$5,507$31.77
Median$45,640$3,803$21.94
Entry level (25th percentile)$45,640$3,803$21.94
Experienced (75th percentile)$104,670$8,722$50.32

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Crane and Tower Operators pay in Decatur vs. Alabama and the U.S.

Crane and tower operators in Decatur earn 8% more than the Alabama average ($61,170) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($72,130). At the median the gap is -33% against the U.S. median of $68,080.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Decatur$66,080$45,640$39,100$104,670100
Alabama$61,170$60,790$37,650$99,3801,280
United States$72,130$68,080$42,640$103,57042,890

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Crane and Tower Operators salary after taxes in Decatur

On the average salary of $66,080, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $52,499 a year, or $4,375 a month and $2,019 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.

Alabama paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Decatur a good place for crane and tower operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $66,080 buys what about $75,769 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $66,080 is worth in another city

Crane and Tower Operators salary in other Alabama cities

Decatur ranks 2nd of 6 Alabama metro areas for this job; Mobile pays the most ($73,280).

All Crane and Tower Operators salaries in Alabama

Highest-paying cities for crane and tower operators

Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,530).

Crane and Tower Operators salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Crane and Tower Operators in Decatur, AL.

Crane and Tower Operators salary in Decatur: questions

How much do crane and tower operators make an hour in Decatur?

$31.77 an hour on average, and $21.94 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level crane and tower operators salary in Decatur?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,640, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the crane and tower operators take-home pay in Decatur?

About $52,499 a year ($4,375 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $66,080. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.

Do crane and tower operators earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?

The average here is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,130).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-7021; area Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.4%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 6.07, this job is 6.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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