Boilermakers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for boilermakerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$115,900
- Illinois$98,300
- Washington$95,120
- New York$93,870
- Minnesota$92,800
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Maryland$49,950
- North Carolina$59,070
- Alabama$63,450
- Georgia$64,910
- Florida$65,190
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $115,900 | $118,150 | $56 | +44.7% | 720 |
| 2 | Illinois | $98,300 | $99,730 | $47 | +22.7% | 110 |
| 3 | Washington | $95,120 | $95,200 | $46 | +18.8% | 190 |
| 4 | New York | $93,870 | $84,770 | $45 | +17.2% | 410 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $92,800 | $96,190 | $45 | +15.9% | 140 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $92,140 | $101,200 | $44 | +15% | 300 |
| 7 | Idaho | $89,790 | $88,400 | $43 | +12.1% | 70 |
| 8 | Indiana | $88,640 | $91,410 | $43 | +10.7% | 170 |
| 9 | Colorado | $88,080 | $89,350 | $42 | +10% | 40 |
| 10 | Michigan | $87,440 | $98,220 | $42 | +9.2% | — |
| 11 | Mississippi | $87,400 | $105,910 | $42 | +9.1% | 280 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $86,660 | $76,810 | $42 | +8.2% | 50 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $86,110 | $86,850 | $41 | +7.5% | 260 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $85,050 | $97,590 | $41 | +6.2% | 170 |
| 15 | Missouri | $83,020 | $78,550 | $40 | +3.7% | 100 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $80,990 | $82,410 | $39 | +1.1% | 280 |
| 17 | Ohio | $79,910 | $85,550 | $38 | -0.2% | 300 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $79,320 | $77,900 | $38 | -1% | 30 |
| 19 | Arizona | $77,180 | $77,940 | $37 | -3.6% | 170 |
| 20 | Iowa | $76,840 | $82,470 | $37 | -4.1% | 50 |
| 21 | Kansas | $76,210 | $72,170 | $37 | -4.8% | 70 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $76,210 | $85,470 | $37 | -4.8% | 60 |
| 23 | Texas | $75,850 | $75,750 | $36 | -5.3% | 2,340 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $74,080 | $74,810 | $36 | -7.5% | 150 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $73,600 | $74,840 | $35 | -8.1% | — |
| 26 | Connecticut | $72,600 | $80,360 | $35 | -9.4% | 50 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $71,540 | $73,980 | $34 | -10.7% | 1,220 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $71,530 | $51,810 | $34 | -10.7% | 180 |
| 29 | Nevada | $68,570 | $61,430 | $33 | -14.4% | 70 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $68,270 | $63,850 | $33 | -14.8% | 30 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $66,380 | $77,750 | $32 | -17.1% | — |
| 32 | Virginia | $65,320 | $67,540 | $31 | -18.4% | 150 |
| 33 | Florida | $65,190 | $69,790 | $31 | -18.6% | 400 |
| 34 | Georgia | $64,910 | $64,200 | $31 | -19% | — |
| 35 | Alabama | $63,450 | $63,570 | $31 | -20.8% | 180 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $59,070 | $49,720 | $28 | -26.2% | 150 |
| 37 | Maryland | $49,950 | $42,250 | $24 | -37.6% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 32 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $135,290 | $132,500 | 50 |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $110,370 | $115,200 | 320 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $109,640 | $103,930 | 90 |
| 4 | Toledo, OH | $107,780 | $99,470 | 40 |
| 5 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $106,790 | $93,730 | — |
| 6 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $105,910 | $91,300 | 50 |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $105,430 | $102,760 | — |
| 8 | Farmington, NM | $101,250 | $93,100 | — |
| 9 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $100,110 | $95,420 | — |
| 10 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $94,640 | $95,210 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing boilermakerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $117,040 | $96,500 | 110 |
| 2 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $107,800 | $107,530 | 200 |
| 3 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $107,800 | $107,530 | 200 |
| 4 | Chemical Manufacturing | $99,800 | $99,000 | 120 |
| 5 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $99,800 | $99,000 | 120 |
| 6 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $99,300 | $90,480 | 140 |
| 7 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $97,100 | $104,990 | — |
| 8 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $97,100 | $109,060 | — |
| 9 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $97,100 | $100,610 | — |
| 10 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $96,110 | $91,970 | 490 |
| 11 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $92,440 | $91,110 | 70 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $83,490 | $87,730 | 300 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do boilermakers make in the U.S.?
The median boilermakers salary in the United States is $76,410 per year (mean $80,090), and about 80% earn between $50,490 and $110,370.
How much do boilermakers make per hour?
Roughly $39 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $80,090 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays boilermakers the most?
California has the highest average pay for boilermakers at $115,900 per year (median $118,150).
What is the job outlook for boilermakers?
Employment is projected to change -2.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 800 openings per year.