Headline risk
3%
Very Low RiskHoist and winch operators
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 52,310
Employment 2024
2.7K
Projected Change (2024–34)
-1.1%
Openings (2024–34)
0.3K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths. AI use: 0%
- 2. 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. AI use: 0%
- 3. Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums. AI use: 0%
- 4. Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials. AI use: 0%
- 5. Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications. AI use: 0%
- 6. Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 46.9 · 59K employed
Under 25: 10% · 25–54: 69% · 55+: 20%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
crosswalk_exact · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects.
Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some operators work overnight shifts.
Education requirements vary by occupation. Crane and tower operators typically need work experience in a related occupation.
The median annual wage for material moving machine operators was $46,620 in May 2024.
Overall employment of material moving machine operators is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.