Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Hoist and winch operators work in a highly specialized role operating equipment that lifts, lowers, or pulls loads. Nationally, this is a relatively small occupation with about 3,000 workers. The typical entry path does not require a formal educational credential, which may appeal to people who want to build a career based more on hands-on skills and on-the-job learning. The role relies on a mix of mechanical ability, physical strength and stamina, and strong attention to detail, along with problem solving and decision making skills. Leadership, project management, and critical and analytical thinking also play a role, supporting safe and effective operations. With a national median salary of $52,310, this career can offer a solid income for individuals who develop these capabilities. Prospective workers should also factor in the slightly negative projected employment growth when considering long-term opportunities and may want to explore related paths such as extraction workers, industrial truck and tractor operators, or logging equipment operators.
Hoist and winch operators earn a national median annual salary of $52,310. Actual pay varies significantly by location. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries range from $37,020 in Virginia to $107,100 in Hawaii. Maryland and Minnesota also show relatively high state medians, at $99,840 and $78,400 respectively, while New York’s median is $74,980. At the metro level, some areas show even higher earning potential. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN reports a median salary of $118,210, and Hawaii at the state level also stands out for very strong pay. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI each offer median salaries of $74,840 and $78,400, respectively. These figures illustrate that geographic choice can significantly influence earnings, giving motivated workers room to target higher-paying markets if relocation or travel is an option.
Nationally, hoist and winch operators account for about 3,000 jobs. The occupation’s projected employment growth is -1.1%, indicating a small decline in total positions over the projection period. Annual openings are reported as 0, suggesting limited new opportunities from growth or replacement needs in the data provided. This makes the field relatively tight in terms of available positions and future expansion. For job seekers, this means competition for roles may be meaningful, and mobility across employers or locations could be important for finding openings. While the overall projection is slightly negative, there are still workers employed across the country, including in several states and metro areas with notable opportunity scores. Individuals considering this career may want to stay informed about local conditions and also keep similar occupations in mind, such as continuous mining machine operators or industrial truck and tractor operators, as possible alternatives or complements to this path.
Location plays a major role in the opportunities available to hoist and winch operators. Among states, New York has an opportunity score of 65.78 with a median salary of $74,980 and employment of 110. Maryland combines a high median salary of $99,840 with employment of 140 and an opportunity score of 52.88. Hawaii stands out with the highest listed state median salary of $107,100 and employment of 120, paired with an opportunity score of 46.92. Minnesota offers $78,400 in median pay and an opportunity score of 49.59, while Virginia shows a lower median salary of $37,020 but still appears among the top states by opportunity score at 54.96. At the metro level, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA leads with an opportunity score of 61.92 and median salary of $74,840. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN offers a median salary of $118,210 and employment of 300, while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA provide more moderate salaries but still notable opportunity scores above 52. These differences give workers several distinct regional options to consider.
For hoist and winch operators, the typical education requirement is listed as no formal educational credential. This means entry into the occupation does not depend on completing a specific degree or formal program. However, success in the role still draws heavily on a defined set of skills. Being detail oriented and possessing fine motor abilities help with precise operation of equipment. Mechanical skills and physical strength and stamina are important for working effectively with machinery and handling the physical demands of the job. Problem solving and decision making, as well as critical and analytical thinking, support safe and efficient operations. Leadership and project management skills can be valuable in coordinating tasks and working with others. Mathematics and science knowledge also contribute to understanding measurements, forces, or other technical aspects involved in operating hoists and winches. Together, these skills form the core competency profile for building and advancing a career in this field.
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