51 Series · SOC 51-8021
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $78,620
- Median / year
- $125,390
- Top 10% earn
- +2.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 28,250
- US workers
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators earn a median of $78,620 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $78,620, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $50,590 (10th percentile) to $125,390 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 28,250 US workers. Illinois pays the most ($115,780), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators earn a median of $78,620, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 71% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #6 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% by 2033.
- $78,620
- Median annual wage
- Top 29%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #6 of 105
- in Production
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Illinois at $115,780. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (SOC 51-8021) pays a national median of $78,620 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $50,590 at the 10th percentile to $125,390 at the 90th, with a mean of $83,960 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 28,250 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 146 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Illinois pays the highest state median at $115,780, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $129,930 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$78,620
per year
Median Hourly
$37.80/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$83,960
average
Employment
28,250
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$78,620 Top 29% higher than 71% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $78,620 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
3,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Operate or tend stationary engines, boilers, and auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, or air-conditioning equipment, to supply and maintain steam or heat for buildings, marine vessels, or pneumatic tools.
- ▸ Activate valves to maintain required amounts of water in boilers, to adjust supplies of combustion air, and to control the flow of fuel into burners.
- ▸ Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
- ▸ Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems.
- ▸ Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
- ▸ Fire coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps.
- ▸ Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.
- ▸ Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
- ▸ Supervise the work of assistant stationary engineers, turbine operators, boiler tenders, or air conditioning and refrigeration operators and mechanics.
- ▸ Monitor and inspect equipment, computer terminals, switches, valves, gauges, alarms, safety devices, and meters to detect leaks or malfunctions and to ensure that equipment is operating efficiently and safely.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$50,590
25th Percentile
$63,160
Median
$78,620
75th Percentile
$101,150
90th Percentile
$125,390
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $115,780 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Wyoming | $111,920 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Hawaii | $103,400 | +32% above national |
| 4 | Connecticut | $94,870 | +21% above national |
| 5 | New York | $94,070 | +20% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $91,530 | +16% above national |
| 7 | California | $90,650 | +15% above national |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $90,470 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Alaska | $88,330 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Maryland | $85,240 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Michigan | $82,800 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Colorado | $81,310 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $80,800 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Nevada | $79,110 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Montana | $77,690 | 1% below national |
| 16 | Delaware | $77,630 | 1% below national |
| 17 | New Jersey | $76,560 | 3% below national |
| 18 | Utah | $76,490 | 3% below national |
| 19 | Minnesota | $75,850 | 4% below national |
| 20 | Ohio | $75,470 | 4% below national |
| 21 | Arizona | $75,410 | 4% below national |
| 22 | New Mexico | $74,480 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $72,900 | 7% below national |
| 24 | South Carolina | $72,650 | 8% below national |
| 25 | Missouri | $72,620 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Tennessee | $72,470 | 8% below national |
| 27 | Georgia | $70,640 | 10% below national |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $68,450 | 13% below national |
| 29 | Vermont | $68,400 | 13% below national |
| 30 | South Dakota | $68,090 | 13% below national |
| 31 | Oregon | $67,630 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Indiana | $67,560 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Iowa | $67,450 | 14% below national |
| 34 | Kentucky | $66,770 | 15% below national |
| 35 | North Dakota | $66,760 | 15% below national |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $66,180 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Florida | $65,040 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Nebraska | $64,930 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Kansas | $64,490 | 18% below national |
| 40 | Idaho | $64,460 | 18% below national |
| 41 | Virginia | $64,150 | 18% below national |
| 42 | Texas | $63,810 | 19% below national |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $63,330 | 19% below national |
| 44 | Maine | $62,910 | 20% below national |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $61,170 | 22% below national |
| 46 | North Carolina | $60,860 | 23% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $58,000 | 26% below national |
| 48 | Mississippi | $53,640 | 32% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $53,470 | 32% below national |
| 50 | West Virginia | $53,340 | 32% below national |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $51,320 | 35% below national |
| 52 | Louisiana | $47,750 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 146 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,930 | +65% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,170 | +57% above national |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $123,170 | +57% above national |
| 4 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $117,740 | +50% above national |
| 5 | Springfield, IL | $117,590 | +50% above national |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | +47% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $112,250 | +43% above national |
| 8 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $111,480 | +42% above national |
| 9 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $107,990 | +37% above national |
| 10 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $105,590 | +34% above national |
| 11 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | +33% above national |
| 12 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $103,690 | +32% above national |
| 13 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $103,380 | +31% above national |
| 14 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,060 | +31% above national |
| 15 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $99,840 | +27% above national |
| 16 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $97,470 | +24% above national |
| 17 | El Centro, CA | $96,150 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $94,870 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $94,100 | +20% above national |
| 20 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $92,420 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $91,480 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $90,830 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $87,700 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $87,170 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Fresno, CA | $87,140 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Lima, OH | $85,930 | +9% above national |
| 27 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $85,690 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $85,180 | +8% above national |
| 29 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83,950 | +7% above national |
| 30 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $83,530 | +6% above national |
| 31 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $83,350 | +6% above national |
| 32 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $82,100 | +4% above national |
| 33 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,250 | +3% above national |
| 34 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $79,720 | +1% above national |
| 35 | Columbus, OH | $79,680 | +1% above national |
| 36 | Anchorage, AK | $79,320 | +1% above national |
| 37 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $79,160 | +1% above national |
| 38 | Reno, NV | $79,110 | +1% above national |
| 39 | Cleveland, OH | $78,850 | same as national |
| 40 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $78,820 | same as national |
| 41 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $78,800 | same as national |
| 42 | Mankato, MN | $78,610 | same as national |
| 43 | Worcester, MA | $78,210 | 1% below national |
| 44 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $78,070 | 1% below national |
| 45 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $77,350 | 2% below national |
| 46 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,080 | 2% below national |
| 47 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $76,960 | 2% below national |
| 48 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $76,560 | 3% below national |
| 49 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $76,510 | 3% below national |
| 50 | Toledo, OH | $76,190 | 3% below national |
| 51 | Vineland, NJ | $75,940 | 3% below national |
| 52 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $75,610 | 4% below national |
| 53 | Duluth, MN-WI | $75,260 | 4% below national |
| 54 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $74,540 | 5% below national |
| 55 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $74,470 | 5% below national |
| 56 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $74,440 | 5% below national |
| 57 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $74,420 | 5% below national |
| 58 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $74,300 | 5% below national |
| 59 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $74,240 | 6% below national |
| 60 | St. Cloud, MN | $73,930 | 6% below national |
| 61 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $73,880 | 6% below national |
| 62 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $73,870 | 6% below national |
| 63 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $73,790 | 6% below national |
| 64 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $73,450 | 7% below national |
| 65 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $73,230 | 7% below national |
| 66 | Ogden, UT | $73,090 | 7% below national |
| 67 | Pittsburgh, PA | $73,090 | 7% below national |
| 68 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $72,950 | 7% below national |
| 69 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $72,410 | 8% below national |
| 70 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $72,090 | 8% below national |
| 71 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $71,950 | 8% below national |
| 72 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $71,910 | 9% below national |
| 73 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $71,850 | 9% below national |
| 74 | Colorado Springs, CO | $71,680 | 9% below national |
| 75 | Rochester, MN | $71,670 | 9% below national |
| 76 | Omaha, NE-IA | $71,560 | 9% below national |
| 77 | Rochester, NY | $71,490 | 9% below national |
| 78 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $71,080 | 10% below national |
| 79 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $71,050 | 10% below national |
| 80 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $70,560 | 10% below national |
| 81 | Springfield, MA | $70,250 | 11% below national |
| 82 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $69,600 | 11% below national |
| 83 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $69,530 | 12% below national |
| 84 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $69,260 | 12% below national |
| 85 | Napa, CA | $69,050 | 12% below national |
| 86 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $68,910 | 12% below national |
| 87 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $68,780 | 13% below national |
| 88 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,650 | 13% below national |
| 89 | Tulsa, OK | $68,560 | 13% below national |
| 90 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $68,550 | 13% below national |
| 91 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $68,340 | 13% below national |
| 92 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $68,100 | 13% below national |
| 93 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $67,880 | 14% below national |
| 94 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $67,780 | 14% below national |
| 95 | Akron, OH | $67,540 | 14% below national |
| 96 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $67,540 | 14% below national |
| 97 | Syracuse, NY | $67,430 | 14% below national |
| 98 | Kingston, NY | $67,250 | 14% below national |
| 99 | Fargo, ND-MN | $66,760 | 15% below national |
| 100 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $66,660 | 15% below national |
| 101 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $66,620 | 15% below national |
| 102 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $66,620 | 15% below national |
| 103 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $66,550 | 15% below national |
| 104 | Salinas, CA | $66,440 | 15% below national |
| 105 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $66,390 | 16% below national |
| 106 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $65,960 | 16% below national |
| 107 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,880 | 16% below national |
| 108 | Utica-Rome, NY | $64,940 | 17% below national |
| 109 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $64,940 | 17% below national |
| 110 | Columbia, SC | $64,930 | 17% below national |
| 111 | Richmond, VA | $64,750 | 18% below national |
| 112 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $64,670 | 18% below national |
| 113 | Wichita, KS | $64,490 | 18% below national |
| 114 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $64,470 | 18% below national |
| 115 | York-Hanover, PA | $64,320 | 18% below national |
| 116 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $64,150 | 18% below national |
| 117 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $63,640 | 19% below national |
| 118 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $63,220 | 20% below national |
| 119 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $63,150 | 20% below national |
| 120 | Lincoln, NE | $62,730 | 20% below national |
| 121 | Reading, PA | $62,560 | 20% below national |
| 122 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $62,430 | 21% below national |
| 123 | Binghamton, NY | $62,420 | 21% below national |
| 124 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $62,290 | 21% below national |
| 125 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $62,210 | 21% below national |
| 126 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $62,050 | 21% below national |
| 127 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $62,000 | 21% below national |
| 128 | Redding, CA | $61,690 | 22% below national |
| 129 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $61,580 | 22% below national |
| 130 | Glens Falls, NY | $61,050 | 22% below national |
| 131 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,230 | 23% below national |
| 132 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $59,760 | 24% below national |
| 133 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $57,620 | 27% below national |
| 134 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $57,320 | 27% below national |
| 135 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $57,040 | 27% below national |
| 136 | Lubbock, TX | $54,470 | 31% below national |
| 137 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $54,380 | 31% below national |
| 138 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $53,810 | 32% below national |
| 139 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $53,640 | 32% below national |
| 140 | Springfield, MO | $51,090 | 35% below national |
| 141 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $50,760 | 35% below national |
| 142 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $50,060 | 36% below national |
| 143 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $49,280 | 37% below national |
| 144 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $49,130 | 38% below national |
| 145 | Baton Rouge, LA | $46,590 | 41% below national |
| 146 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $43,490 | 45% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $101,150/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Illinois leads at $115,780/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.