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How Much Does a Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator Make?

A stationary engineer and boiler operator in the US earns a median salary of $78,620 a year, or $37.80 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $83,960, and the middle half earn between $63,160 and $101,150.

Median a year $78,620
Median an hour $37.80
Median a month $6,552
Average a year $83,960

Stationary engineer and boiler operator pay range

What stationary engineers and boiler operators earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $50,590 $24.32
25th $63,160 $30.37
Median (50th) $78,620 $37.80
75th $101,150 $48.63
90th (top 10%) $125,390 $60.28

The median is 54% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 28,250 people work as stationary engineers and boiler operators in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,512
Every two weeks
$3,024
Twice a month
$3,276
A month
$6,552

At the median salary, before tax.

Stationary engineer and boiler operator salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Illinois pays stationary engineers and boiler operators the most, at $106,410 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Illinois $106,410 $115,780 1,680 After tax
Wyoming $102,500 $111,920 100 After tax
New York $101,070 $94,070 4,480 After tax
Washington $95,180 $91,530 520 After tax
Hawaii $94,580 $103,400 70 After tax
Connecticut $91,990 $94,870 270 After tax
California $91,010 $90,650 5,840 After tax
Alaska $90,660 $88,330 90 After tax
District of Columbia $89,400 $90,470 620 After tax
Nevada $88,360 $79,110 60 After tax
Maryland $85,940 $85,240 850 After tax
Arizona $82,710 $75,410 80 After tax
Massachusetts $82,450 $80,800 530 After tax
Delaware $79,820 $77,630 40 After tax
Colorado $78,280 $81,310 560 After tax
Utah $78,280 $76,490 110 After tax
Michigan $77,930 $82,800 490 After tax
Minnesota $77,730 $75,850 1,440 After tax
New Jersey $77,280 $76,560 1,400 After tax
New Mexico $77,170 $74,480 100 After tax
Montana $77,000 $77,690 110 After tax
Ohio $74,120 $75,470 760 After tax
North Dakota $73,950 $66,760 140 After tax
Oklahoma $72,600 $68,450 180 After tax
South Carolina $71,920 $72,650 170 After tax
Oregon $71,860 $67,630 330 After tax
Pennsylvania $70,990 $72,900 1,730 After tax
Georgia $70,740 $70,640 240 After tax
Indiana $70,040 $67,560 290 After tax
Rhode Island $69,050 $63,330 60 After tax
Missouri $68,950 $72,620 380 After tax
New Hampshire $68,830 $66,180 60 After tax
Nebraska $67,060 $64,930 290 After tax
Iowa $67,030 $67,450 190 After tax
Texas $66,890 $63,810 890 After tax
Kansas $66,870 $64,490 120 After tax
Florida $66,750 $65,040 170 After tax
Idaho $66,500 $64,460 120 After tax
Vermont $65,530 $68,400 70 After tax
Tennessee $65,300 $72,470 370 After tax
Maine $64,900 $62,910 290 After tax
Virginia $64,680 $64,150 350 After tax
South Dakota $64,300 $68,090 90 After tax
Kentucky $62,810 $66,770 90 After tax
Wisconsin $62,330 $61,170 270 After tax
North Carolina $59,430 $60,860 220 After tax
Mississippi $59,070 $53,640 200 After tax
Louisiana $57,830 $47,750 290 After tax
Alabama $57,630 $53,470 220 After tax
Arkansas $57,250 $58,000 200 After tax
West Virginia $53,230 $53,340 40 After tax
Puerto Rico $52,640 $51,320 70

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other production jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators” (SOC 51-8021). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a stationary engineer and boiler operator make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a stationary engineer and boiler operator is $37.80, and the average is $40.37. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $24.32 an hour and the top 10% over $60.28.

How much does a stationary engineer and boiler operator make a month?

At the median salary of $78,620, a stationary engineer and boiler operator earns about $6,552 a month before tax, or $3,024 every two weeks.

Which state pays stationary engineers and boiler operators the most?

Illinois has the highest average pay for a stationary engineer and boiler operator, at $106,410 a year. Next are Wyoming and New York. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a stationary engineer and boiler operator?

The lowest-paid 10% of stationary engineers and boiler operators earn less than $50,590 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $63,160. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid stationary engineers and boiler operators make?

The top 10% earn more than $125,390 a year, and the top 25% more than $101,150.