What Do Boilermaker Do?
Example of Boilermaker Job 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.
List of Boilermaker Job Duties
- Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
- Install refractory bricks or other heat-resistant materials in fireboxes of pressure vessels.
- Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.
- Install manholes, handholes, taps, tubes, valves, gauges, or feedwater connections in drums of water tube boilers, using hand tools.
- Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
- Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
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Skills Needed to be a Boilermaker
Below is a list of the skills most Boilermakers say are important on the job.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Types of Boilermaker Jobs
- Boilermaker Mechanic
- Boiler Erector
- Manufacturing Assembler
- Boiler Service Technician
- Boilerhouse Mechanic
Job Outlook for Boilermakers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 17,200 jobs in the United States for Boilermaker. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,500 new jobs for Boilermaker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Boilermaker are Arizona, Connecticut, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Mississippi, Idaho, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Boilermaker Salary
The typical yearly salary for Boilermakers is somewhere between $37,610 and $89,940.

Boilermakers who work in Kentucky, North Dakota, or Pennsylvania, make the highest salaries.
How much do Boilermakers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $56,540 |
Arizona | $60,740 |
Arkansas | $47,500 |
California | $70,120 |
Colorado | $70,520 |
Connecticut | $68,250 |
Florida | $59,240 |
Georgia | $62,070 |
Illinois | $69,030 |
Indiana | $71,600 |
Kentucky | $76,340 |
Louisiana | $60,720 |
Maryland | $61,910 |
Massachusetts | $64,610 |
Michigan | $71,930 |
Minnesota | $64,360 |
Missouri | $51,420 |
Montana | $65,250 |
Nebraska | $76,620 |
Nevada | $38,930 |
New Jersey | $68,640 |
New Mexico | $60,310 |
New York | $69,820 |
North Carolina | $62,370 |
North Dakota | $81,500 |
Ohio | $71,840 |
Oklahoma | $54,610 |
Oregon | $61,350 |
Pennsylvania | $78,380 |
South Carolina | $60,590 |
Tennessee | $66,380 |
Texas | $57,480 |
Utah | $60,290 |
Virginia | $57,310 |
Washington | $65,900 |
West Virginia | $68,270 |
Wisconsin | $58,020 |
Wyoming | $69,440 |
What Tools & Technology do Boilermakers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Boilermakers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Computer aided design CAD software
- SAP software
How do I Become a Boilermaker?
Are there Boilermakers education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Boilermakers?

The table below shows the approximate number of Boilermakers employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Boilermaker may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Boilermaker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Phasmatisnox via Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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