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Hoist and Winch Operators in Illinois

Considering working as a Hoist and Winch Operators in Illinois? Here’s what the data says. Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment. Excludes “Crane and Tower Operators” (53-7021).

What do Hoist and Winch Operators Make in Illinois?

For a hoist and winch operators working in Illinois, the median annual wage is $116,120 per year (or roughly $55.83/hour).Annual wages span from $116,120 at the 10th percentile to $116,120 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$116,120	$55.83
25th percentile	$116,120	$55.83
Median (50th)	$116,120	$55.83
75th percentile	$116,120	$55.83
90th percentile	$116,120	$55.83

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Illinois relative to the national average — is 3.13, suggesting that hoist and winch operators are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, hoist and winch operators earn a median of $48,937 per year ($23.53/hour), higher than the Illinois median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 906,892 hoist and winch operators nationwide. In Illinois alone, approximately 310 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 60 hoist and winch operators.

Top Illinois Metros for Hoist and Winch Operators

The metro areas below employ the most hoist and winch operators in Illinois.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	290	$116,120

Top States for Hoist and Winch Operators Employment

View the states that employ the most hoist and winch operators work.

State	Number Employed
Illinois	310
Washington	190
Indiana	160
Maryland	160
Georgia	150
Hawaii	110
Florida	90
Oregon	80
Texas	80
Michigan	70
Minnesota	70
West Virginia	60
Ohio	50
Idaho	50
Alabama	50
Tennessee	50
Virginia	50
Wyoming	40
Kentucky	40
South Carolina	40

Highest-Paying States for Hoist and Winch Operators

The highest-paying states for hoist and winch operators.

State	Annual Median Salary
Illinois	$116,120
Hawaii	$100,940
Nevada	$90,120
Maryland	$87,760
Wyoming	$73,840
West Virginia	$65,930
Minnesota	$65,680
Massachusetts	$61,720
Alabama	$59,220
New York	$58,980

Skills

Top hoist and winch operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for hoist and winch operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Hoist and Winch Operators typically:

• 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.
• Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
• Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
• Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
• Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
• Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
• Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
• Attach, fasten, and disconnect cables or lines to loads, materials, and equipment, using hand tools.
• Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
• Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.
• Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks.
• Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools.

Work Activities

• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Getting Information
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Ground Transportation

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Related Careers

Careers similar to hoist and winch operators include:

• Construction Laborers
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
• Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Also Known As

Air Hoist Operator, Air Lift Operator, Boat Hoist Operator, Boat Loader, Boat Puller, Bridge Rigger, Building Rigger, Cable Operator, Cable Way Operator, Cage Operator, Cage Tender, Casing Puller, Cemetery Vault Installer, Chute Operator, Clean-Out Driller.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 53-7041.00