Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Career, Salary and Skills
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $78,620 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 28,250. Wage data is published for 162 locations.
Occupation description
Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.
O*NET code
51-8021.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$78,620
Hourly median
$37.80
Employment
28,250
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$50,590
10th
$63,160
25th
$78,620
Median
$101,150
75th
$125,390
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Operation and Control | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Repairing | 3.25 | 3.50 |
| Active Listening | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.12 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Technology
- Building management system software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Database software
- Email software
- Graphics software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Operational Data Store ODS software
- SAP software
- Statistical software
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in CAMedian $90,650 · Employment 5,840
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in NYMedian $94,070 · Employment 4,480
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in New York, NYMedian $104,810 · Employment 3,810
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $74,420 · Employment 1,980
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in PAMedian $72,900 · Employment 1,730
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in ILMedian $115,780 · Employment 1,680
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in MNMedian $75,850 · Employment 1,440
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in NJMedian $76,560 · Employment 1,400
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $115,780 · Employment 1,210
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $129,930 · Employment 980
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in Washington, DCMedian $91,480 · Employment 970
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary in TXMedian $63,810 · Employment 890
Related careers
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsNational median $60,020
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralNational median $49,590
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersNational median $63,800
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelayNational median $103,020
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersNational median $96,710
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersNational median $61,770
- Ship EngineersNational median $109,530
- Engine and Other Machine AssemblersNational median $53,710
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.