Which schools offer WIOA-approved crane operator training?

42 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does a crane operator do, and how do you become one?

Crane and tower operators lift and move materials, machinery and other heavy loads, usually guided by signals from workers on the ground. Training can take several months, many operators first spend years running other construction equipment or working as riggers and signalers, and some states and cities require a crane operator license.¹ On construction sites, federal rules require employers to make sure each crane operator is certified, by an accredited testing organization, or licensed before running most cranes, and the employer must provide that certification at no cost to the worker.²

Approved programsup to 12 to 23 to 4more than 4

How much does crane operator training cost?

Most crane operator programs approved for WIOA funding cost $2,500 to $7,481 if you pay yourself. Prices also differ by state: most cost $1,838 to $5,500 in Louisiana and $1,695 to $12,000 in Washington.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare crane operator training by state: cost, pay and results

Crane operator training by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Alaska	1	Too few figures to show
Arizona	1	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data	Not enough data
California	2	Too few figures to show
Colorado	2	Too few figures to show
Georgia	1	Too few figures to show
Indiana	1	Too few figures to show
Kentucky	1	Too few figures to show
Louisiana	24	$1,838 to $5,500	Not enough data	Left out	Left out
Mississippi	1	Left out	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Missouri	4	Too few figures to show
Montana	1	Too few figures to show
New Mexico	1	Too few figures to show
North Dakota	2	Too few figures to show
Ohio	4	Too few figures to show
Oklahoma	4	Not enough data	Left out	Left out	Not enough data
Texas	39	$3,375 to $7,085	about $70,300	78%	100%
Virginia	4	Too few figures to show
Washington	5	$1,695 to $12,000	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
West Virginia	3	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Wisconsin	4	Too few figures to show

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer crane operator training too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

NCCCO certification and crane operator school: what the 105 programs are

By kind, the 105 programs approved for WIOA funding are mobile crane operator course (61 programs), rigger and signal person course (22 programs), tower or overhead crane course (16 programs) and recertification course (6 programs).

Across the US, 67 of the 105 programs take students without a high school diploma, 20 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 18 ask for earlier courses first.

Is there free crane operator training in the US?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by state: most crane operator programs cost $1,838 to $5,500 in Louisiana and $1,695 to $12,000 in Washington. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the crane operator program numbers by state come from

Which crane operator programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁷ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about crane operator training

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Crane operator training by state