Boilermakers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,490 | $24.28 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $76,410 | $36.74 |
| Mean (average) | $80,090 | $38.50 |
| 90th percentile | $110,370 | $53.06 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Boilermakers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 38 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,570 | $48,290 | $79,400 | 180 | 1.29 |
| Arizona | $77,940 | $63,450 | $84,160 | 170 | 0.82 |
| Arkansas | $76,810 | $60,790 | $114,130 | 50 | 0.57 |
| California | $118,150 | $83,960 | $136,900 | 720 | 0.61 |
| Colorado | $89,350 | $81,390 | $96,150 | 40 | 0.2 |
| Connecticut | $80,360 | $37,450 | $94,910 | 50 | 0.43 |
| Florida | $69,790 | $48,040 | $72,800 | 400 | 0.62 |
| Georgia | $64,200 | $43,180 | $81,700 | ||
| Idaho | $88,400 | $70,010 | $118,560 | 70 | 1.17 |
| Illinois | $99,730 | $83,690 | $117,270 | 110 | 0.27 |
| Indiana | $91,410 | $63,450 | $116,690 | 170 | 0.81 |
| Iowa | $82,470 | $64,030 | $88,280 | 50 | 0.47 |
| Kansas | $72,170 | $56,290 | $96,230 | 70 | 0.7 |
| Kentucky | $74,810 | $59,760 | $87,920 | 150 | 1.11 |
| Louisiana | $73,980 | $63,390 | $77,290 | 1,220 | 9.6 |
| Maryland | $42,250 | $34,450 | $73,840 | 30 | 0.19 |
| Michigan | $98,220 | $48,430 | $107,150 | ||
| Minnesota | $96,190 | $67,050 | $110,840 | 140 | 0.71 |
| Mississippi | $105,910 | $36,490 | $108,940 | 280 | 3.65 |
| Missouri | $78,550 | $49,450 | $124,790 | 100 | 0.52 |
| Nevada | $61,430 | $54,200 | $93,480 | 70 | 0.67 |
| New Hampshire | $85,470 | $42,210 | $97,100 | 60 | 1.29 |
| New Jersey | $82,410 | $49,010 | $115,270 | 280 | 1.01 |
| New Mexico | $101,200 | $62,160 | $119,550 | 300 | 5.21 |
| New York | $84,770 | $60,590 | $136,540 | 410 | 0.65 |
| North Carolina | $49,720 | $40,900 | $79,770 | 150 | 0.47 |
| Ohio | $85,550 | $48,120 | $105,440 | 300 | 0.84 |
| Oklahoma | $77,750 | $46,200 | $85,600 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $86,850 | $60,380 | $104,360 | 260 | 0.65 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,120 | $23,210 | $64,960 | 120 | 1.91 |
| South Carolina | $74,840 | $71,800 | $77,000 | ||
| Tennessee | $51,810 | $47,130 | $110,660 | 180 | 0.83 |
| Texas | $75,750 | $57,610 | $100,170 | 2,340 | 2.54 |
| Virginia | $67,540 | $41,350 | $78,520 | 150 | 0.56 |
| Washington | $95,200 | $62,260 | $127,040 | 190 | 0.83 |
| West Virginia | $63,850 | $38,630 | $92,080 | 30 | 0.7 |
| Wisconsin | $97,590 | $60,090 | $103,060 | 170 | 0.91 |
| Wyoming | $77,900 | $49,900 | $153,230 | 30 | 1.71 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for boilermakers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for boilermakers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Boilermaking/Boilermaker CIP 48.0801
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
- Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
- Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
- Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
- Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
- Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.
- Locate and mark reference points for columns or plates on boiler foundations, following blueprints and using straightedges, squares, transits, or measuring instruments.
- Shape or fabricate parts, such as stacks, uptakes, or chutes, to adapt pressure vessels, heat exchangers, or piping to premises, using heavy-metalworking machines such as brakes, rolls, or drill presses.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Health and safety training software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Repairing, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: Boiler Installer, Boiler Mechanic, Boiler Repairman, Boiler Service Technician (Boiler Service Tech), Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech), Boilermaker, Boilermaker Mechanic, Boilermaker Pipe Fitter, Boilermaker Welder, Industrial Boiler Service Technician (Industrial Boiler Service Tech).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do boilermakers make?
The national median annual wage for boilermakers was $76,410 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $50,490 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $110,370. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do boilermakers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and apprenticeship on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is boilermakers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of boilermakers to change -1.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay boilermakers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($118,150), Mississippi ($105,910), New Mexico ($101,200). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.