Crane drivers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time crane drivers in the UK earned a median £46,463 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 19% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 81st of 382 occupations on this measure.
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 45 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
ASHE counts roughly 8,000 employee jobs, 88% full-time.
From £36,570 in 2021, the median is up 27.1%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 11,500 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | £693.50 | £16.04 | £37,430* | £670.90 | £15.94 |
| 25th percentile | £38,942 | £711.50 | £16.32 | £38,189* | £697.20 | £16.31 |
| 30th percentile | £40,042 | £749.90 | £16.67 | £39,103* | £733.60 | £16.67 |
| 40th percentile | £43,409 | £821.80 | £17.89 | £42,867 | £806.30 | £18.02 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £46,463* | £897.00* | £18.65 | £46,392* | £881.00* | £18.77 |
| 60th percentile | £50,170* | £995.40 | £19.79 | £49,326* | £962.80* | £19.72 |
| 70th percentile | – | £1,113.70* | £20.82* | £57,358* | £1,100.30* | £20.65 |
| Mean | £51,173 | £986.10 | £20.33 | £49,682 | £958.80 | £20.24 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £36,570* | £717.70* | £14.40 | £35,878* | £674.10* | 6* |
| 2022 revised | £35,081* | £673.80* | £14.85* | – | £673.60* | 5* |
| 2023 revised | £44,292* | £904.10 | £18.16 | £42,215* | £887.20 | 6* |
| 2024 revised | £45,512* | £864.70* | £18.02 | £45,644* | £860.50* | 7* |
| 2025 provisional | £46,463* | £897.00* | £18.65 | £46,392* | £881.00* | 8* |
Crane drivers by region
UK: 11,500 (± 4,200), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What crane drivers do
Crane drivers supervise and undertake the operation of cranes, jib cranes, power driven hoisting machinery and power driven stationary engines to raise and lower mine and other cages, and to lift and move equipment, materials, machinery and containers. (ONS SOC 2020, 8221)
Also covers: crane driver, crane operator, haulage engine driver, grab driver, winchman, bank hand, bottom hand, bridge operator, cage attendant, cage hand, cage winder, capstan hand, capstan man, crane hoister, crane man, crane tenter, derrick driver and donkey engineman (73 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Gives signals for movement of cage carrying workers/equipment
- Starts crane or engine motor and checks that cables run freely and that brakes and drum(s) are working
- Manipulates levers, switches and pedals to rotate jibs into position and turns winding drum to raise or lower hook, bucket or other holding equipment
- Lifts load or cage, or hauls object into required position and lowers or positions for ground workers to detach, unload or load
- Watches control panel for warning lights and indications of wind speed and direction and carrying capacity of crane
- Oils and greases machine and checks ropes
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience operating other heavy machinery supplemented with short courses. Operators are required to hold a Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) card owned and administered by the National Open College Network (NOCN) group, demonstrating basic skills and safety awareness.
Related
Mobile machine drivers and operatives (median £36,404) · Fork-lift truck drivers · Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026