Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Also called: Air Compressor Engineer, Air Compressor Operator, Air Conditioning Engineer (AC Engineer), Air Plant Engineer, Auxiliary Operator, Blowing Engineer, Boiler Engineer, Boiler Fireman
Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes.
What stationary engineers and boiler operators do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Switch from automatic to manual controls and isolate equipment mechanically and electrically to allow for safe inspection and repair work.
- Perform or arrange for repairs, such as complete overhauls, replacement of defective valves, gaskets, or bearings, or fabrication of new parts.
- Adjust controls and/or valves on equipment to provide power, and to regulate and set operations of system or industrial processes.
- Clean and lubricate boilers and auxiliary equipment and make minor adjustments as needed, using hand tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators salary
The median annual wage for stationary engineers and boiler operators is $78,620 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $50,590 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $125,390. The mean annual wage is $83,960.
The mean hourly wage of $40.00 is 5.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $78,620 → in 3 years $86,000 → in 5 years $91,300 → in 10 years $106,000 (10-year range $91,200–$123,100). The model assumes pay growth of +3.0% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators United States | ボイラーオペレーター Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $78,620 | ¥4.52M ≈ $28,761 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $106,000 | ¥5.73M |
| Outlook score | 62 | 50 |
| AI replacement risk | 39% Low | 58% Moderate |
| Workers | 28K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become stationary engineers and boiler operators
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as stationary engineers and boiler operators
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.