Personal Finance

I make $180k a year playing with giant industrial equipment

Marc Guberti

Published: March 4, 2025 4:34 pm

The Salary Reddit group is filled with inspiring posts of people who share high salary numbers and their progression. A recent post from a 24-year-old crane operator got some attention. He shares that he made $255k in CAD which translates into roughly $180k in U.S. dollars. That’s how much he earned in 2024, and he got his start in the industry at 19.

Some Commenters Doubted the Legitimacy of OP’s Income

Not everyone was convinced that the Redditor actually earns $180k in U.S. dollars each year. In fact, he initially mentioned $255k but didn’t distinguish that figure was in Canadian dollars. 

One of the top comments encouraged others to not believe everything that you see, but the narrative quickly shifted. The original poster left an insightful comment and said, “Just because it’s not common doesn’t mean it’s not real.” In another comment, the Redditor mentions that he sacrifices a lot to make what he does.

It’s great to see people earning high incomes, and other commenters were more appreciative of the Redditor sharing his results. Some people told him to ignore the haters while a fellow crane operator said that the income is very doable for hard workers. Another commenter knew full-time crane operators in New Jersey who pulled in $225k+ per year.

Envy Is Strong

The original poster made another great point when defending himself from critics and replying to people who told him to brush off the haters. The crane operator said that he could have posted a fake salary that was low and that he would have not received backlash. He also mentioned that if he posted a lower salary, other people would have felt better about themselves.

The Salary Reddit group is a great place to see how people progress over time, but not everyone can handle the fact that people out earn them at younger ages. there’s someone in their early 20s who is out earning you right now. 

Some people view high earners as inspirations and strive to reach their levels. However, others become envious and question the legitimacy of people who are above them. Being envious of high earners can make it less likely that you become a high earner. Assigning hatred toward something can cause you to avoid it, and that can stretch to a good salary if you’re upset about other people doing well.

How Hard Are You Willing to Work?

The Redditor earns a salary that’s above average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average U.S. salary is $62,027. He earns more than most Americans and also out earns the majority of crane operators. The Redditor mentioned that he works extremely hard and sacrificed a lot to get here.

With that in mind, it’s good to assess how hard you are willing to work and what you are willing to sacrifice to reach a higher income. There are some things you shouldn’t sacrifice, such as the relationship with your spouse and children. However, there are other things you can sacrifice, such as late night TV binges, alcohol, and lazy weekends.

The harder you work now, the more you will set yourself up for long-term financial success. You can either work hard and have it easier later or take it easy now and have it harder later.