Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
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.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlCritical ThinkingTroubleshootingRepairingQuality Control Analysis
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Boilermaker pay by experience level
Entry level$52,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$67,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$79,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$99,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$114,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-2.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
800
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Boilermaker salary by industry
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
2,320 workers
$87,000
Specialty Trade Contractors
2,200 workers
$80,000
Utility System Construction
2,130 workers
$88,000
Building Equipment Contractors
1,830 workers
$80,000
Construction of Buildings
1,640 workers
$85,000
Nonresidential Building Construction
1,630 workers
$85,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
1,000 workers
$74,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Boilermaker pays 28% above the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
Need Boilermaker pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
