Occupation salary profile

Hoist and Winch Operators

SOC 53-7041 BLS OEWS May 2025

Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment. Excludes “Crane and Tower Operators” (53-7021).

National median · BLS
$56,450
▲ +7.91% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$67,710
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
2,600
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Hoist and Winch Operators

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$35,640
25th$42,690
Median (50th)$56,450
75th$94,350
90th — top pay$118,210

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Hoist and Winch Operators

BLS projects employment of hoist and winch operators to grow 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
3,200 → 3,200
+0 jobs
Projected change
+0.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
18.6% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Hoist and Winch Operators

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Critical Thinking3.8
  • Monitoring3.6
  • Operations Monitoring3.6
  • Time Management3.5
  • Active Listening3.4
  • Operation and Control3.4
  • Complex Problem Solving3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.3
  • Social Perceptiveness3.1
  • Speaking3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Mechanical3.1
  • English Language2.9
  • Customer and Personal Service2.9
  • Production and Processing2.8
  • Public Safety and Security2.8
  • Transportation2.8
  • Telecommunications2.7
  • Administration and Management2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Word

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What hoist and winch operators do

  • Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
  • Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
  • Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
  • Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
  • Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools.
  • Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing.
  • Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
  • Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
Also called
Hoist OperatorHoistmanService OperatorWinch Derrick OperatorHoisting OperatorWinchman
More job titles for this occupation (45)
Air Hoist OperatorAir Lift OperatorBoat Hoist OperatorBoat LoaderCable OperatorCable Way OperatorCasing PullerChute OperatorClutch OperatorCorner Bead OperatorCupola Hoist OperatorDerrick OperatorElectric Fork OperatorGin Pole OperatorHoisting Engine OperatorHydraulic Boom OperatorIndustrial Tugger OperatorJammer OperatorJump Roll OperatorLever OperatorPack ChangerPack PullerPier RunnerPipe PullerPit Hoist OperatorPneumatic Hoist OperatorPole Lift OperatorPulling Unit FloorhandScrap Hoist OperatorScraper Loader OperatorSkip Hoist OperatorSlope TenderSteam Hoist OperatorStiff Leg OperatorTuggerTugger OperatorVault PullerWell PullerWell Service Derrick WorkerWinch DriverWinch OperatorWinch RunnerWinch StripperYarder OperatorYarder Puncher

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.