Traveling Industrial Rigger Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Traveling Industrial Rigger in the United States was $62,640 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $48,210 and $80,180.
Broader occupation Our title "Traveling Industrial Rigger" is reported by BLS as SOC 49-9096 Riggers. BLS groups Traveling Industrial Rigger within Riggers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Traveling Industrial Rigger, 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
Traveling Industrial Rigger, 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 include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
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
| 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 |
| 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Traveling Industrial Rigger in National, the published median for SOC 49-9096, Riggers, is $62,640 per year. The middle half of the Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger comparison, 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger figure 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National, 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National median was $62,060 per year in May 2024, compared with $62,640 in May 2025, a published difference of $580. That Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $62,640 per year for Traveling Industrial Rigger in National, 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Traveling Industrial Rigger in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Traveling Industrial Rigger in National is broader: BLS groups Traveling Industrial Rigger within Riggers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Traveling Industrial Rigger in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National buyer?
Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Traveling Industrial Rigger in National. Comparing those Riggers tables with the $62,640 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Traveling Industrial Rigger in National?
Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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 Traveling Industrial Rigger in National.
What changed between the releases for Traveling Industrial Rigger in National?
Traveling Industrial Rigger in National moved from $62,060 in May 2024 to $62,640 in May 2025. These Traveling Industrial Rigger in National 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.