Boiler Operator: metro pay ranking

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Skilled Trades Headhunters compares published medians for SOC 51-8021 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, not estimated offers for this particular title.

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.

Highest and lowest published metro medians
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
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$99,840	520	2.67	1.67
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$97,470	80	1.08	1.59
El Centro, CA	$96,150	40	3.42	2.13
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$94,870	110	0.97	1.58
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$94,100	110	1.8	1.98
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$92,420	70	1.2	1.76
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$91,480	970	1.7	1.29
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$90,830	30	1.06	1.77
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$87,700	220	0.63	1.68
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$87,170	370	1.2	1.80
Fresno, CA	$87,140	120	1.43	1.86
Lima, OH	$85,930	30	3.6	1.82
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$85,690	70	3.38	1.69
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$85,180	40	1.31	1.75
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$83,950	340	0.68	1.26
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$83,530	410	1.68	1.41
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$83,350	40	0.09	1.62
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$82,100	340	1.18	1.32
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$81,250	100	0.45	1.34
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$79,720	740	1.4	1.47
Columbus, OH	$79,680	120	0.6	1.55
Anchorage, AK	$79,320	40	1.09	1.32
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$79,160	120	0.59	1.60
Reno, NV	$79,110	50	0.94	1.59
Cleveland, OH	$78,850	110	0.59	1.57
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$78,820	150	0.75	1.57
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$78,800	30	0.24	1.63
Mankato, MN	$78,610	40	3.62	1.59
Worcester, MA	$78,210	50	0.77	1.35
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$78,070	60	1.24	1.43
Longview-Kelso, WA	$77,350	30	4.65	1.35
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$77,080	450	1.62	1.31
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$76,560	750	2.1	1.29
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$76,510	110	2.45	1.21
Toledo, OH	$76,190	50	0.86	1.58
Vineland, NJ	$75,940	40	3.35	1.58
St. Louis, MO-IL	$75,610	240	0.98	1.51
Duluth, MN-WI	$75,260	80	3.33	1.51
Kansas City, MO-KS	$74,540	40	0.21	1.47
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$74,420	1,980	1.73	1.33
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$74,300	40	0.36	1.58
Grand Forks, ND-MN	$74,240	30	3.25	1.49
St. Cloud, MN	$73,930	60	3.34	1.45
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$73,790	120	0.62	1.46
Ogden, UT	$73,090	50	0.92	1.49
Pittsburgh, PA	$73,090	410	2.04	1.47
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$72,950	120	1.77	1.49
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$72,090	50	0.8	1.44
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$71,950	30	0.42	1.46
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$71,910	60	1.39	1.55
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$71,850	110	0.21	1.40
Colorado Springs, CO	$71,680	50	0.83	1.36
Rochester, MN	$71,670	80	3.41	1.18
Omaha, NE-IA	$71,560	110	1.21	1.44
Rochester, NY	$71,490	200	2.19	1.40
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$71,050	70	1.07	1.43
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$70,560	340	0.47	1.37
Springfield, MA	$70,250	50	1.27	1.35
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$69,600	60	0.43	1.36
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$69,260	300	3.07	1.36
Napa, CA	$69,050	90	6.27	1.25
Oklahoma City, OK	$68,650	40	0.36	1.45
Tulsa, OK	$68,560	70	0.84	1.47
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	$68,550	100	3.35	1.44
Portland-South Portland, ME	$68,340	60	1.15	1.20
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$68,100	170	0.28	1.38
Akron, OH	$67,540	30	0.52	1.38
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$67,540	80	0.58	1.37
Syracuse, NY	$67,430	160	3.02	1.27
Kingston, NY	$67,250	50	4.37	1.34
Fargo, ND-MN	$66,760	60	2.35	1.31
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$66,660	70	1.51	1.31
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$66,620	320	3.87	1.14
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$66,550	90	0.7	1.24
Salinas, CA	$66,440	120	3.48	1.40
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$65,960	30	0.22	1.19
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$65,880	80	0.15	1.35
Utica-Rome, NY	$64,940	50	2.36	1.33
Columbia, SC	$64,930	40	0.52	1.40
Richmond, VA	$64,750	60	0.54	1.26
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$64,670	50	1.88	1.30
Wichita, KS	$64,490	70	1.23	1.35
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$64,470	70	1.8	1.13
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	$64,320	60	1.8	1.34
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$64,150	60	1.73	1.24
Lincoln, NE	$62,730	70	2.08	1.26
Reading, PA	$62,560	40	1.23	1.27
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$62,430	60	0.24	1.10
Binghamton, NY	$62,420	70	3.78	1.26
Redding, CA	$61,690	40	2.97	1.26
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.

Where does this trade pay most relative to local wages?

Occupation median divided by the same area's all-occupations median
Area	Wage ratio	Median	Location quotient
Springfield, IL	2.23	$117,590	3.46
El Centro, CA	2.13	$96,150	3.42
Stockton-Lodi, CA	2.12	$103,690	1.03
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	2.12	$115,780	1.48
Vallejo, CA	2.10	$123,170	4.33
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	1.98	$94,100	1.8
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	1.95	$57,320	0.28
Fresno, CA	1.86	$87,140	1.43
Lima, OH	1.82	$85,930	3.6
Kennewick-Richland, WA	1.80	$103,380	3.58
Urban Honolulu, HI	1.80	$103,060	0.47
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	1.80	$87,170	1.2
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	1.77	$90,830	1.06
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	1.76	$92,420	1.2
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	1.75	$85,180	1.31
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	1.75	$129,930	2.27
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	1.71	$104,810	2.21
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	1.69	$85,690	3.38
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	1.68	$87,700	0.63
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	1.67	$99,840	2.67
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	1.63	$78,800	0.24
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	1.62	$83,350	0.09
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	1.60	$79,160	0.59
Reno, NV	1.59	$79,110	0.94
Mankato, MN	1.59	$78,610	3.62
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	1.59	$97,470	1.08
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	1.58	$74,300	0.36
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	1.58	$94,870	0.97
Toledo, OH	1.58	$76,190	0.86
Vineland, NJ	1.58	$75,940	3.35
Cleveland, OH	1.57	$78,850	0.59
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	1.57	$78,820	0.75
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	1.55	$71,910	1.39
Columbus, OH	1.55	$79,680	0.6
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	1.55	$112,250	0.56
St. Louis, MO-IL	1.51	$75,610	0.98
Duluth, MN-WI	1.51	$75,260	3.33
Ogden, UT	1.49	$73,090	0.92
Grand Forks, ND-MN	1.49	$74,240	3.25
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	1.49	$72,950	1.77
Pittsburgh, PA	1.47	$73,090	2.04
Tulsa, OK	1.47	$68,560	0.84
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	1.47	$79,720	1.4
Kansas City, MO-KS	1.47	$74,540	0.21
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	1.47	$123,170	1.04
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	1.46	$73,790	0.62
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	1.46	$71,950	0.42
St. Cloud, MN	1.45	$73,930	3.34
Oklahoma City, OK	1.45	$68,650	0.36
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	1.44	$68,550	3.35
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	1.44	$72,090	0.8
Omaha, NE-IA	1.44	$71,560	1.21
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	1.43	$71,050	1.07
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	1.43	$78,070	1.24
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	1.41	$83,530	1.68
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	1.40	$71,850	0.21
Salinas, CA	1.40	$66,440	3.48
Columbia, SC	1.40	$64,930	0.52
Rochester, NY	1.40	$71,490	2.19
Akron, OH	1.38	$67,540	0.52
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	1.38	$68,100	0.28
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	1.37	$70,560	0.47
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	1.37	$67,540	0.58
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	1.36	$69,260	3.07
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	1.36	$69,600	0.43
Colorado Springs, CO	1.36	$71,680	0.83
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	1.35	$65,880	0.15
Wichita, KS	1.35	$64,490	1.23
Springfield, MA	1.35	$70,250	1.27
Worcester, MA	1.35	$78,210	0.77
Longview-Kelso, WA	1.35	$77,350	4.65
Kingston, NY	1.34	$67,250	4.37
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	1.34	$81,250	0.45
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	1.34	$64,320	1.8
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1.33	$74,420	1.73
Utica-Rome, NY	1.33	$64,940	2.36
Anchorage, AK	1.32	$79,320	1.09
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	1.32	$82,100	1.18
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	1.31	$77,080	1.62
Fargo, ND-MN	1.31	$66,760	2.35
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	1.31	$66,660	1.51
Eugene-Springfield, OR	1.30	$64,670	1.88
Lubbock, TX	1.29	$54,470	1.09
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	1.29	$76,560	2.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	1.29	$91,480	1.7
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	1.28	$60,230	0.53
Syracuse, NY	1.27	$67,430	3.02
Reading, PA	1.27	$62,560	1.23
Binghamton, NY	1.26	$62,420	3.78
Redding, CA	1.26	$61,690	2.97
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	1.26	$83,950	0.68
Lincoln, NE	1.26	$62,730	2.08
Richmond, VA	1.26	$64,750	0.54
Napa, CA	1.25	$69,050	6.27
Glens Falls, NY	1.24	$61,050	4.05
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	1.24	$64,150	1.73
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	1.24	$66,550	0.7
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	1.23	$53,640	1.84
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	1.21	$76,510	2.45
Portland-South Portland, ME	1.20	$68,340	1.15
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	1.19	$65,960	0.22
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	1.19	$54,380	0.78
Rochester, MN	1.18	$71,670	3.41
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	1.14	$66,620	3.87
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	1.13	$64,470	1.8
Springfield, MO	1.12	$51,090	0.82
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	1.10	$62,430	0.24
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	1.06	$50,060	0.69
Baton Rouge, LA	0.96	$46,590	0.98
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA	0.95	$43,490	2.22

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.

National percentile table Methodology