WAGE DATA · SOC 53-7021

CRANE OPERATOR PAY
IN GEORGIA.

Georgia crane operators earn a median of $32.32/hr (BLS 2024). 1,780 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.

// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$32.32/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$30.90/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$67K
EMPLOYED
1,780
10th · $19.99MEDIAN · $32.3290th · $38.10
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGE188 ACTIVE WDS

Active Wage Determinations · Georgia

188 active Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations cover Georgia. Each WD sets the legal minimum wage (base + fringe by trade classification) on federally-funded construction in the counties it applies to. Showing the 12 most recently modified — click through for the per-trade rates on sam.gov.

Per-trade rates (the actual $/hr for crane operators by county) are published on the SAM.gov detail page for each WD. Browse all 188 Georgia Wage Determinations on sam.gov. If a contractor on a federal job is paying below the WD, file a WH-3 with DOL WHD.

// GSA PER DIEM · FY 2026GSA

Lodging + M&IE by City

The federal government's per-diem rate is the baseline most contractors use. If your job's per diem is below this, you're subsidizing the contractor.

Jekyll Island / Brunswick
Glynn
$279
/day · meals $86
Atlanta
Fulton / Dekalb
$272
/day · meals $86
Savannah
Chatham
$232
/day · meals $80
Athens
Clarke
$210
/day · meals $74
Marietta
Cobb
$200
/day · meals $74
Augusta
Richmond
$197
/day · meals $74
Standard Rate
Georgia
$178
/day · meals $68
// ROADHAND COMMUNITY DATABE FIRST

What are workers actually earning?

Government data is a baseline. Real take-home pay — including per diem, OT rules, housing allowances — comes from workers on the ground. Submit your pay anonymously to help the next hand.

SHARE YOUR PAY

FAQ

How much does a crane operator earn in Georgia?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), crane operators in Georgia earn a median of $32.32/hr. That's roughly $67K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for crane operators in Georgia?+
The top 10% of crane operators in Georgia earn more than $38.10/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many crane operators work in Georgia?+
BLS reports 1,780 crane operators employed in Georgia as of 2024. Numbers fluctuate with major construction cycles — when big projects like LNG terminals or data centers start, demand spikes.
Do crane operators in Georgia get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Georgia is typically $150-$260/day depending on the city. Contractors may set their per diem higher or lower — if it's below the GSA floor, you're subsidizing the contractor's housing budget out of pocket.
What's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?+
Davis-Bacon rates are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — base pay plus fringe benefits. Every contractor working a federal job must pay at least the Davis-Bacon rate for that county and trade. Private-sector jobs don't have to match, but many do as a competitive floor.