Boiler Operator Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Boiler Operator in the United States was $78,620 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $63,160 and $101,150.
Broader occupation Our title "Boiler Operator" is reported by BLS as SOC 51-8021 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators. BLS groups Boiler Operator within Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Boiler Operator, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $50,590, half earned less than the median of $78,620, 90% earned less than $125,390 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,590 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $63,160 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $78,620 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $101,150 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $125,390 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $83,960 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Boiler Operator, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $24.32, half earned less than the median of $37.80, 90% earned less than $60.28 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.32 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $30.37 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $37.80 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $48.63 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $60.28 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $40.37 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 28,250 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-8021 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,880 | $60,270 to $76,240 | 80 | 0.15 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. Florida median: $65,040. | |||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. Florida median: $65,040. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published by BLS for this area. North Carolina median: $60,860. | |||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | $79,510 to $143,530 | 3,810 | 2.21 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | $79,510 to $143,530 | 3,810 | 2.21 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $70,560 | $59,080 to $87,110 | 340 | 0.47 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $68,100 | $59,540 to $83,340 | 170 | 0.28 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | $97,540 to $123,780 | 1,210 | 1.48 |
How does Boiler Operator pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 51-8021, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $95,830 | Annual | 630 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $95,830 | Annual | 630 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $94,870 | Annual | 170 |
| Construction | 23 | $79,650 | Annual | 800 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $80,950 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $47,360 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $103,560 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $46,580 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $79,660 | Annual | 550 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $79,660 | Annual | 550 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $73,450 | Annual | 1,110 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | 311100 | $62,000 | Annual | 30 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | 311200 | $75,150 | Annual | 270 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 311300 | $67,640 | Annual | 290 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 311400 | $73,210 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 311500 | $73,760 | Annual | 170 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 311600 | $65,550 | Annual | 110 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 311900 | $61,350 | Annual | 40 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 312000 | $84,720 | Annual | 170 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | 312100 | $83,750 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Tobacco Manufacturing | 312200 | $100,390 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $74,130 | Annual | 4,890 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $50,770 | Annual | 800 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 321100 | $57,350 | Annual | 380 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 321200 | $49,480 | Annual | 260 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $41,740 | Annual | 160 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $69,920 | Annual | 820 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 322100 | $69,920 | Annual | 750 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 322200 | $76,100 | Annual | 70 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $78,620 | Annual | 210 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $78,620 | Annual | 210 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $80,120 | Annual | 660 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $76,810 | Annual | 470 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 3250A2 | $92,780 | Annual | 40 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $91,360 | Annual | 150 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $71,140 | Annual | 160 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $60,760 | Annual | 80 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $79,050 | Annual | 70 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $61,690 | Annual | 60 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $73,000 | Annual | 30 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $65,350 | Annual | 60 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $65,730 | Annual | 40 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $92,860 | Annual | 640 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $92,700 | Annual | 210 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $92,860 | Annual | 130 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $101,110 | Annual | 270 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $42,280 | Annual | 40 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $42,280 | Annual | 40 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $66,990 | Annual | 50 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $62,520 | Annual | 30 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $91,790 | Annual | 50 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $91,790 | Annual | 50 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $82,560 | Annual | 800 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $82,560 | Annual | 800 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $80,870 | Annual | 340 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $80,870 | Annual | 340 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $93,830 | Annual | 90 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $71,470 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $103,380 | Annual | 120 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $94,760 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 562200 | $85,190 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Multifamily Maintenance Supervisor (49-1011)Facilities Supervisor (49-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,930 | 980 | 2.27 | 1.75 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,170 | 210 | 1.04 | 1.47 |
| Vallejo, CA | $123,170 | 110 | 4.33 | 2.10 |
| Springfield, IL | $117,590 | 60 | 3.46 | 2.23 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | 1,210 | 1.48 | 2.12 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $112,250 | 210 | 0.56 | 1.55 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | 3,810 | 2.21 | 1.71 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $103,690 | 50 | 1.03 | 2.12 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $103,380 | 80 | 3.58 | 1.80 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,060 | 40 | 0.47 | 1.80 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $61,050 | 40 | 4.05 | 1.24 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,230 | 110 | 0.53 | 1.28 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $57,320 | 40 | 0.28 | 1.95 |
| Lubbock, TX | $54,470 | 30 | 1.09 | 1.29 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $54,380 | 50 | 0.78 | 1.19 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $53,640 | 50 | 1.84 | 1.23 |
| Springfield, MO | $51,090 | 30 | 0.82 | 1.12 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $50,060 | 60 | 0.69 | 1.06 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $46,590 | 70 | 0.98 | 0.96 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $43,490 | 30 | 2.22 | 0.95 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Boiler Operator in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Boiler Operator in National, the published median for SOC 51-8021, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, is $78,620 per year. The middle half of the Boiler Operator in National wage distribution runs from $63,160 to $101,150, a width of $37,990 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Boiler Operator comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $104,810 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $74,420 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Boiler Operator figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, read alongside Boiler Operator in National, are Utility System Construction at $103,560 per year (NAICS 237100); Scientific Research and Development Services at $103,380 per year (NAICS 541700); Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing at $101,110 per year (NAICS 336400). Those Boiler Operator in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Boiler Operator in National median was $75,190 per year in May 2024, compared with $78,620 in May 2025, a published difference of $3,430. That Boiler Operator in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $75,190 and $78,620 Boiler Operator in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $78,620 per year for Boiler Operator in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Boiler Operator in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Boiler Operator in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Boiler Operator in National is broader: BLS groups Boiler Operator within Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Boiler Operator in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Boiler Operator in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Boiler Operator in National buyer?
Boiler Operator in National has a published middle-half band of $63,160 to $101,150, a width of $37,990 per year, with median $78,620. An offer inside that Boiler Operator in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Boiler Operator in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Boiler Operator in National. Comparing those Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators tables with the $78,620 Boiler Operator in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Boiler Operator in National?
Boiler Operator in National uses national industry rows for SOC 51-8021, not local sector-specific wages. Utility System Construction leads the selected sortable rows at $103,560 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Boiler Operator in National.
What changed between the releases for Boiler Operator in National?
Boiler Operator in National moved from $75,190 in May 2024 to $78,620 in May 2025. These Boiler Operator in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 51-8021. Published annual median: $75,190 (May 2024) and $78,620 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.