Boilermakers: Career Profile
Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Boilermakers Do?
The core tasks performed by boilermakers cover:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Top boilermakers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Assembler
- Boiler Control Technician (Boiler Control Tech)
- Boiler Erector
- Boiler Fitter
- Boiler Installer
- Boiler Maker
- Boiler Mechanic
- Boiler Reliner
Job Outlook
There are roughly 457,983 boilermakers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +0.8% over the projection horizon.
Boilermakers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $84,334 |
| Hourly median | $40.55 |
| 10th percentile | $53,152 |
| 25th percentile | $68,743 |
| 75th percentile | $99,926 |
| 90th percentile | $115,517 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Boilermakers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| South Carolina | $124,400 |
| Washington | $113,970 |
| California | $107,600 |
| Minnesota | $102,730 |
| Wisconsin | $97,410 |
| Illinois | $95,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,710 |
| Colorado | $86,980 |
| Connecticut | $85,480 |
| Indiana | $83,500 |
| Montana | $83,200 |
| New Jersey | $80,560 |
| Louisiana | $76,320 |
| Wyoming | $76,050 |
| Arizona | $75,770 |
| New York | $75,060 |
| Arkansas | $74,780 |
| Kentucky | $73,340 |
| Nevada | $73,220 |
| Idaho | $71,700 |
| New Hampshire | $70,530 |
| Iowa | $68,410 |
| Michigan | $66,440 |
| Texas | $64,190 |
| New Mexico | $63,480 |
| Nebraska | $63,310 |
| Georgia | $63,240 |
| Alabama | $63,220 |
| Missouri | $62,490 |
| West Virginia | $61,660 |
| Ohio | $61,520 |
| Maryland | $61,030 |
| Virginia | $60,440 |
| Florida | $53,690 |
| Tennessee | $49,810 |
| North Carolina | $45,760 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for boilermakers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $105,300 | 9.9% | 0.63 |
| Middle Atlantic | $81,659 | 10.3% | 0.96 |
| New England | $80,043 | 1.2% | 0.66 |
| Great Lakes | $76,178 | 13.0% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,027 | 2.9% | 3.42 |
| Southwest | $64,172 | 26.5% | 2.64 |
| Southeast | $63,765 | 35.9% | 6.98 |
| Plains States | $63,310 | 0.4% | 0.55 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $138,790 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $107,600 | 400 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $102,740 | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | WI | $99,050 | 70 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $96,510 | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | IN | $93,130 | 100 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $91,690 | 240 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | TN | $90,210 | 50 |
Which Industries Hire Boilermakers
The bulk of boilermakers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 6,990 | $74,800 |
| Manufacturing | 970 | $63,120 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 550 | $71,700 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 200 | $78,120 |
| Educational Services | 190 | $49,680 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 180 | $63,370 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 160 | $82,820 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 70 | $65,410 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for boilermakers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Boilermakers
Typical boilermakers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Primary-Short)
- Sheet Metal Workers (Supplemental)
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers (Primary-Long)
- Helpers–Electricians (Supplemental)
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Primary-Short)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Supplemental)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (Supplemental)
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for boilermakers typically earn programs in:
Precision Production
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2011.00 (Boilermakers).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.