Riggers: Salary Overview
Riggers are responsible for setting up and repairing rigging on construction projects, manufacturing plants, ships and shipyards, logging yards, or the entertainment industry.
They are the ones responsible for preparing the materials before loading, aligning and anchoring the machinery, inspecting rigging and ensuring that it is safe for use, attaching and maneuvring loads, communicating with the rest of the team, and conducting inspections.
Riggers have to ensure that state and company safety procedures are followed.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for riggers was $50,860 as of May 2019.
This means that half the workers in this profession earned less than this while half earned more.
Salaries vary depending on the industry of employment, the education, the region, and how many years the rigger has spent in this profession.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,110 while the top 10 percent made more than $77,240.
Rigger Salary by Industry
The biggest employers for riggers were the field of ship and boat building, companies that provide support activities for mining, and other specialty trade contractors.
The mean annual wage for riggers who worked in the field of ship and boat building was $50,370.
Those who were employed in the field of support activities for mining were paid, on average, with $46,550 per year.
Riggers who worked for other specialty trade contractors earned, on average, $50,430 a year while those who worked for the federal executive branch reported an average annual salary of $56,420.
Building equipment contractors paid riggers, on average, with $53,480 per year.
The highest average annual wage was reported by riggers who worked in the field of electric power generation, transmission, and distribution.
In this field, the riggers were paid, on average, with $87,300 per year.
Petroleum and coal products manufacturers paid riggers, on average, with $86,990 per year.
Other fields where riggers may hold jobs are performing arts companies and foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors.
Riggers who worked for performing arts companies were paid, on average, with $62,160 per year while those who worked for foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors were paid, on average, with $60,640 per year.
However, riggers don’t hold many jobs in these industries so finding employment in a high-paying field can be hard and you may need a few years of experience in a different sector.
Riggers who worked in the motion picture and video industries earned, on average, $65,410 per year.
Salaries for riggers also vary depending on the employee’s level of experience, skills, and education.
Entry-level riggers typically earn a salary in the range of $30,000 a year while senior-level employees can make more than $70,000-$80,000 a year.
Earnings also vary depending on the region and the state of employment.
The highest average salaries were reported by riggers in New York, a state where this profession was remunerated, on average with more than $80,000 a year.
Other states where you may earn a higher-than-average salary as a rigger are Hawaii, Illinois, and Alaska.
Riggers in Wyoming, Arkansas, and West Virginia, on the other hand, reported average annual salaries that were below $40,000.
We should mention that some riggers earn a fixed salary while others (especially entry-level employees) are paid on an hourly rate.
Hourly rates for this profession are typically between $15-$38.
Your earnings as a rigger who is paid on an hourly rate will also vary depending on how many hours you work.
In conclusion, your salary as a ringer will depend on a wide range of factors but if you’re a hard-working person with good skills, you may earn a higher-than-average salary through this profession.
* Based on information from the May 2024 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Riggers. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.