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Skilled Trades

Hoist and Winch Operators

Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.

Median salary (BLS)

$56,450

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$36k – $118k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Hoist and Winch Operators" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Hoist and Winch Operators

    Entry / Junior

    $35,640

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Hoist and Winch Operators

    Established

    $56,450

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Hoist and Winch Operators

    Senior

    $87,330

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.