Rigger / Signal Person Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in the United States was $62,640 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers in this occupation and area earned between $48,210 and $80,180. This is the broader occupation used for Rigger / Signal Person, not a separately surveyed rate for that title or credential.
Broader occupation Our title "Rigger / Signal Person" is reported by BLS as SOC 49-9096 Riggers. BLS groups Rigger / Signal Person within Riggers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages: Riggers (SOC 49-9096)
Riggers (SOC 49-9096), the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $40,680, half earned less than the median of $62,640, 90% earned less than $97,850 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,680 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $48,210 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $62,640 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $80,180 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $97,850 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $66,810 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages: Riggers (SOC 49-9096)
Riggers (SOC 49-9096), the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $19.56, half earned less than the median of $30.12, 90% earned less than $47.04 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.56 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.18 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $30.12 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $38.55 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $47.04 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $32.12 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 22,530 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 49-9096 Riggers, National.
What BLS wages measure. OEWS estimates describe straight-time gross wages, not just base salary and not total compensation. They include commissions and production bonuses. They exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. Discuss travel, per diem, tool and truck allowances separately. Percentiles describe the occupation's wage distribution, not seniority, plant size, job complexity or credentials. Licensing, union agreements and prevailing-wage obligations depend on the work and assignment; these figures do not establish a premium for them.
Official BLS wage definitions | Source dates and methodology
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
New York City and Northern New Jersey share the New York-Newark-Jersey City BLS area and one estimate, shown once below.
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,550 | $47,810 to $63,940 | 160 | 0.39 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $52,790 | $43,460 to $61,360 | 80 | 0.4 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $58,710 | $50,440 to $70,670 | 160 | 0.76 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $57,000 | $52,040 to $69,790 | 50 | 0.49 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $103,030 | $77,280 to $115,690 | 620 | 0.45 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $50,840 | $45,850 to $60,730 | 660 | 1.12 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $64,430 | $47,620 to $80,340 | 1,140 | 2.39 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $81,860 | $68,240 to $83,290 | 100 | 0.15 |
How does Rigger / Signal Person pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 49-9096, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 23 | $62,280 | Annual | 7,690 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $67,270 | Annual | 930 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $64,470 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $68,730 | Annual | 880 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $75,180 | Annual | 570 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $75,180 | Annual | 470 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $57,560 | Annual | 100 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $60,340 | Annual | 6,190 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $52,050 | Annual | 80 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $60,070 | Annual | 3,820 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $61,220 | Annual | 2,270 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $54,080 | Annual | 3,980 |
| Textile Product Mills | 314000 | $48,510 | Annual | 90 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | 314900 | $48,510 | Annual | 90 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $59,320 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $44,320 | Annual | 40 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $47,080 | Annual | 30 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $42,020 | Annual | 840 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $45,790 | Annual | 80 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $42,020 | Annual | 730 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $54,230 | Annual | 140 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $54,230 | Annual | 140 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $59,780 | Annual | 2,650 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $39,170 | Annual | 100 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $60,630 | Annual | 2,530 |
| Water Transportation | 483000 | $52,160 | Annual | 30 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $51,270 | Annual | 710 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $37,360 | Annual | 260 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $44,020 | Annual | 50 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $44,020 | Annual | 50 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $60,620 | Annual | 880 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $60,620 | Annual | 880 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $60,620 | Annual | 880 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $62,840 | Annual | 600 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $62,840 | Annual | 600 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $74,480 | Annual | 160 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $55,550 | Annual | 280 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $83,290 | Annual | 60 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $58,670 | Annual | 250 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $65,200 | Annual | 190 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $52,380 | Annual | 60 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Scaffold Foreman (47-1011)Scaffold Superintendent (11-9021)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Riggers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | $169,480 | 50 | 2.29 | 3.32 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $103,030 | 620 | 0.45 | 1.68 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $97,850 | 270 | 2.24 | 1.77 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $96,880 | 1,250 | 1.37 | 1.73 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $91,430 | 110 | 0.56 | 1.55 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $87,570 | 170 | 2.55 | 1.53 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $87,120 | 140 | 0.51 | 1.47 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $85,300 | 570 | 41.82 | 1.35 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,370 | 140 | 0.4 | 1.11 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $82,130 | 770 | 4.67 | 1.76 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $47,730 | 270 | 4.16 | 1.01 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $47,180 | 60 | 0.36 | 0.94 |
| Birmingham, AL | $46,800 | 80 | 1.09 | 0.98 |
| Odessa, TX | $46,120 | 70 | 6.01 | 0.95 |
| Longview, TX | $45,300 | 50 | 3.09 | 1.00 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $44,770 | 60 | 3.94 | 0.98 |
| Tulsa, OK | $44,770 | 70 | 1.06 | 0.96 |
| Knoxville, TN | $38,490 | 70 | 1.06 | 0.82 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $37,360 | 420 | 34.33 | 0.82 |
| Lafayette, LA | $36,880 | 270 | 10.56 | 0.88 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person), the published median for SOC 49-9096, Riggers, is $62,640 per year. The middle half of the Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) wage distribution runs from $48,210 to $80,180, a width of $31,970 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Riggers (SOC 49-9096) comparison used for Rigger / Signal Person, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC reports $64,440 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $96,880 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Riggers (SOC 49-9096) reference for Rigger / Signal Person pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Riggers, read alongside Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person), are Scientific Research and Development Services at $83,290 per year (NAICS 541700); Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction at $75,180 per year (NAICS 237000); Utility System Construction at $75,180 per year (NAICS 237100). Those Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) median was $62,060 per year in May 2024, compared with $62,640 in May 2025, a published difference of $580. That Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $62,060 and $62,640 Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before using $62,640 per year from Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) to calibrate an offer, separate overtime, per diem, lodging and mobilization separately; prevailing wage obligations and union scale depend on the assignment and agreement, not a special BLS traveling-worker percentile. The Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) BLS comparison measures straight-time gross wages, including commissions and production bonuses, but excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) is broader: BLS groups Rigger / Signal Person within Riggers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. When calibrating a Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) opening, the work checks include NCCCO Rigger Level I or II and Signalperson; critical lift plans and load calculations; ask for evidence of that scope instead of using a percentile as a substitute for qualification. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) buyer?
Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) has a published middle-half band of $48,210 to $80,180, a width of $31,970 per year, with median $62,640. An offer inside that Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person)?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person). Comparing those Riggers tables with the $62,640 Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person)?
Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) uses national industry rows for SOC 49-9096, not local sector-specific wages. Scientific Research and Development Services leads the selected sortable rows at $83,290 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person).
What changed between the releases for Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person)?
Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) moved from $62,060 in May 2024 to $62,640 in May 2025. These Riggers (SOC 49-9096) in National (reference for Rigger / Signal Person) published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 49-9096. Published annual median: $62,060 (May 2024) and $62,640 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.