How much should I pay a boilermakers in 2026?

A competitive 2026 offer for Boilermakers is $76,419 to $95,430 (market median to the 75th percentile). BLS ECI shows manufacturing wages growing about 3.3% a year, so budget a similar annual increase to stay at market.

Is a salary competitive for a boilermakers?

Compare it to the BLS OEWS range: below $64,750 is below market, $76,419 to $95,430 is competitive, and above $95,430 is above market for Boilermakers.

How is boilermakers pay changing in 2026?

Median pay for this role rose 4.2% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI). Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Boilermakers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 47-2011 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary

$76,419

$36.74/hr

Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Boilermakers salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

Check a salary or offer:$Competitive · ~P50

P10$51K

P25$65K

P50$76K

P75$95K

P90$110K

Drag the dot or type an amount above.

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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.

📈

Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.

Our read

For a competitive 2026 offer, target $76,419 to $95,430 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.

Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Boilermakers pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 4.2% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · STABLE

Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently

Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.3% per year, holding steady.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026

Next refresh: May 2027

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The national median salary for Boilermakers is $76,419 per year ($36.74/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $64,750 and $95,430 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $110,365 per year. There are approximately 10,190 boilermakers employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034

10-year growth

-2.4%

Slower than average

Annual openings

800

per year, on avg

Workforce today

10K

as of 2024

Why those openings exist

0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role

Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.

Typical entry requirements

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Experience

None

On-the-job training

Apprenticeship

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific

Industry	Workforce	Median Pay
Utility System Construction NAICS 237100	2K	$80,060
Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200	2K	$73,150
Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200	2K	$74,960
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2	840	$61,780
Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811300	740	$76,510

Wage range across top 5 industries: $61,780 to $80,060 (30% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)

Percentile	Hourly Rate	Annual Salary
P10	$24.28	$50,502
P25	$31.13	$64,750
P50MEDIAN	$36.74	$76,419
P75	$45.88	$95,430
P90	$53.06	$110,365

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · manufacturing sector

Stable

Openings Rate

3.7%

Quits Rate

1.5%

Manufacturing openings eased to 481K (-36K) in June, rate 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback (-55K). Quits held at 1.5%. The sector remains stable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average boilermakers salary?

The national median salary for Boilermakers is $76,419 per year ($36.74/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $64,750 and $95,430 annually.

How much do top-earning boilermakers make?

The 90th percentile salary for Boilermakers is $110,365 per year ($53.06/hr). The 75th percentile is $95,430 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for boilermakers?

Entry-level Boilermakers (10th percentile) earn approximately $50,502 per year ($24.28/hr). The 25th percentile is $64,750 per year.

Related Salary Data

Compare with other occupations

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Boilermakers Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment

Texas2,340 workers Louisiana1,220 workers California720 workers New York410 workers Florida400 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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