Plans the giant, dangerous lifts, like setting a 500-ton reactor or a bridge span, so nothing falls.
You calculate crane loads, design rigging for a 300-ton vessel, and run a 3D simulation before supervising the real lift.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 8 years after high school. Engineering degree or years as a rigger/crane operator plus specialized training.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Management.
Growing faster than average. No separate BLS projection for this specialty; rating is an estimate based on industry trends.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. 3D lift-planning software and AI checks speed up plans; engineering judgment and sign-off on critical lifts stay human.
Classes: Physics, AP Calculus, CAD or engineering design.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.