Skilled Trades
Boilermakers
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.
Median salary
$73,340
Typical range
$48k – $108k
Job outlook
See national outlook
AI exposure
Plan a path to Boilermakers
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Boilermakers
Entry / Junior
$48,390
~2 yrs to advance
Boilermakers
Established
$73,340
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Boilermakers
Senior
$90,470
Key skills
A typical day
- •Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
- •Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
- •Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
- •Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
- •Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.