Crane and Tower Operators
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-7021
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 53-7021 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 63/100
- High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $68,080
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 5,800
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +3.0%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 7,093 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~18.4% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
Common titles: Crane Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator, Machine Operator, Mobile Crane Operator, Overhead Crane Operator, Port Crane Operator
Representative Tasks
- •Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
- •Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
- •Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
- •Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
- •Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Weigh materials to ensure compliance with specifications.
- •Verify information or specifications.
- •Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- •Inspect material-moving equipment to detect problems.
- •Maintain material moving equipment in good working condition.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Outlook | Average | 20% Bright |
| Median Salary | $68,080 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |