Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, South Carolina
$59,000 / year
≈ $4,900 per month · $28.37 per hour
BLS May 2025 state data for South Carolina · median $53,000
25th percentile
$47,000Average
$59,00075th percentile
$63,500
$47,000Average
$59,00075th percentile
$63,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Rigger salary by state
Alabama$56,500
Alaska$67,000
Arizona$60,500
Arkansas$76,000
California$90,500
Colorado$78,500
Connecticut$71,000
Florida$58,000
Georgia$76,000
Hawaii$84,000
Idaho$80,000
Illinois$77,500
Indiana$54,000
Iowa$61,500
Kansas$41,500
Kentucky$58,500
Louisiana$49,500
Maine$69,500
Maryland$81,000
Massachusetts$63,000
Michigan$56,500
Minnesota$85,500
Mississippi$64,500
Missouri$60,500
Nebraska$66,000
Nevada$81,500
New Jersey$85,000
New Mexico$47,000
New York$107,000
North Carolina$60,000
North Dakota$105,000
Ohio$64,000
Oklahoma$54,000
Oregon$97,500
Pennsylvania$65,000
Rhode Island$68,500
South Carolina$59,000
Tennessee$50,500
Texas$60,500
Utah$92,500
Virginia$64,000
Washington$85,500
Wisconsin$61,000
About this role
Rigger is a professional role within the function in the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Riggers do
Typical education: High School Diploma
- Test rigging to ensure safety and reliability.
- Signal or verbally direct workers engaged in hoisting and moving loads to ensure safety of workers and materials.
- Control movement of heavy equipment through narrow openings or confined spaces, using chainfalls, gin poles, gallows frames, and other equipment.
- Tilt, dip, and turn suspended loads to maneuver over, under, or around obstacles, using multi-point suspension techniques.
- Select gear, such as cables, pulleys, and winches, according to load weights and sizes, facilities, and work schedules.
Top skills: Operation and Control Reading Comprehension Operations Monitoring Monitoring Critical Thinking Coordination
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Rigger pay by experience level
Entry level$42,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$50,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$65,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$83,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$101,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,500
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Rigger salary by industry
Specialty Trade Contractors
6,190 workers
$68,000Building Equipment Contractors
3,820 workers
$67,500Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
2,650 workers
$60,500Ship and Boat Building
2,530 workers
$61,000Other Specialty Trade Contractors
2,270 workers
$69,000Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
1,800 workers
$82,000Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
1,670 workers
$80,000Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
1,530 workers
$100,000Motion Picture and Video Industries
1,530 workers
$100,000Support Activities for Mining
1,220 workers
$52,000National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Rigger pays 4% above the average across 52 roles in the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family (family average $66,500).
Similar-paying roles in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Medical Equipment Repairer$68,000
Millwright$72,000
Rail Car Repairer$73,000
Watch and Clock Repairers$73,500
Careers related to Rigger
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Rigger make?
The average base salary for a Rigger in the United States is $69,000 per year, or about $33.17 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $50,000 and $83,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair roles?
The Installation, Maintenance, and Repair job family averages $66,500 across 52 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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