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Career

Riggers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Set up or repair rigging for construction projects, manufacturing plants, logging yards, ships and shipyards, or for the entertainment industry.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $62,640 Median per year · $30.12/hr Most earn $40,680–$97,850

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Attach pulleys and blocks to fixed overhead structures, such as beams, ceilings, and gin pole booms, using bolts and clamps.
  • Manipulate rigging lines, hoists, and pulling gear to move or support materials, such as heavy equipment, ships, or theatrical sets.
  • Attach loads to rigging to provide support or prepare them for moving, using hand and power tools.
  • Dismantle and store rigging equipment after use.
  • Signal or verbally direct workers engaged in hoisting and moving loads to ensure safety of workers and materials.
  • Install ground rigging for yarding lines, attaching chokers to logs and to the lines.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 1,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Other building equipment contractors14.8%
  • Ship and boat building11.3%
  • Other specialty trade contractors9.9%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service7.9%
  • Support activities for mining5.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 3 to 6 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

Rigging is an entry-level job. Many people start right after high school, and it usually takes only a few months of on-the-job experience before you can work as a rigger. Pay varies by location, so check the career page for typical pay near you and nationally.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school, focusing on math, physics, and shop or technical classes. These build the measuring, angle, and weight skills riggers use every day.

  2. Rigger Helper or General Construction Laborer

    3-6 months

    Start on a crew helping riggers attach, move, and secure loads, and learn safety rules, knots, hardware, and hand signals. This on-the-job time is what the typical path depends on.

  3. Rigger

    Career

    Set up and repair rigging for construction, plants, shipyards, or entertainment events, working safely with cranes and heavy loads.

Where it can lead

  1. Crane Operator

    3-5 years as a rigger of experience first

    Experienced riggers often learn to run cranes and tower equipment, which requires additional training and certification and gives you more control over lifts.

  2. Rigging Foreman

    5+ years of experience first

    Move into leading a rigging crew, planning lifts, assigning tasks, and making sure the work is safe, which requires strong experience and communication skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or technical classesHands-on classes teach you to read plans, measure accurately, and work with tools, which are everyday skills for riggers.
  • Take math and physicsBasic geometry, angles, and force concepts help you understand how loads are balanced and lifted safely.
  • Get a part-time or summer jobWork on a construction crew, landscaping team, or warehouse to get used to physical work and teamwork on a job site.
  • Get a CPR or first aid certificateMany job sites value workers who can respond to injuries, and these courses are often offered through local schools, Red Cross chapters, or community centers.
  • Build your fitness and strengthRiggers lift heavy gear and work outdoors for long hours, so regular exercise helps you prepare for the physical demands of the job.

In college

  • Take physics and applied math coursesThese help you understand load forces, leverage, and weight distribution, which are important for planning safe lifts.
  • Work a part-time job on a job site or in a warehouseHands-on experience with lifting, equipment, and safety procedures builds the background employers look for in rigging helpers.
  • Complete a workplace safety certificationA course such as OSHA 10-hour construction shows employers you understand safety rules before you start working with heavy loads.
  • Join a skilled trades or engineering clubClubs and student groups let you meet people in construction and industrial fields and learn about apprenticeships and job openings.
  • Ask about equipment or rigging trainingSome schools, community colleges, or local trade groups offer short courses in rigging, forklift operation, or crane signaling that can help you get hired.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for summer or part-time work on construction crews, warehouses, or shipping docks. Any job that involves lifting, moving equipment, and following safety rules will look good to employers.
  • Take a basic workplace safety course, such as the OSHA 10-hour construction course, if your school or local community offers one. It shows employers you already understand job-site safety.
  • Ask local contractors or rigging companies whether they hire helpers or take on apprentices. Many riggers learn their trade by starting as a helper and getting trained on the job.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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