What is a heavy lift rigger and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreHeavy Lift RiggerUS Average
Salary
2.9

Avg. Salary $37,204

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
4.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.69%

Asian 2.40%

Black or African American 16.19%

Hispanic or Latino 17.45%

Unknown 7.41%

White 55.87%

Gender

female 6.74%

male 93.26%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress Level
8.9

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.3

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a heavy lift rigger

  1. Explore heavy lift rigger education requirements

    Most common heavy lift rigger degrees

    High School Diploma

    71.6 %

    Diploma

    14.9 %

    Associate

    6.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific heavy lift rigger skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Cranes39.08%
    Pallets29.16%
    Assembly Line16.45%
    Rig4.28%
    Critical Lifts3.05%
  3. Complete relevant heavy lift rigger training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New heavy lift riggers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a heavy lift rigger based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real heavy lift rigger resumes.
  4. Research heavy lift rigger duties and responsibilities

    • Inspect and maintain manual hoists.
    • Operate Toyota forklift, cherry pickers, Taylor forklifts, overhead cranes
    • Perform general repairs and maintenance on major and minor rig components.
    • Run fork lift an man lift an rig on items to be lift
  5. Prepare your heavy lift rigger resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your heavy lift rigger resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a heavy lift rigger resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Heavy Lift Rigger Resume templates

    Build a professional Heavy Lift Rigger resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Heavy Lift Rigger resume.
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
    Heavy Lift Rigger Resume
  6. Apply for heavy lift rigger jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a heavy lift rigger job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Heavy Lift Rigger Job

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Average heavy lift rigger salary

The average Heavy Lift Rigger salary in the United States is $37,204 per year or $18 per hour. Heavy lift rigger salaries range between $22,000 and $61,000 per year.

Average Heavy Lift Rigger Salary
$37,204 Yearly
$17.89 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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