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Power Generation
Duke Energy, Southern Company, NextEra Energy
Boilermakers
Boilermakers build, install, inspect, and repair boilers, tanks, vats, and other pressure vessels made from heavy steel. The work is a mix of welding, rigging, cutting, and pressure testing, so it demands both precision and the ability to handle physically rough conditions. The tradeoff is clear: the pay is solid for a nondegree job, but the work is dirty, hot, and tied to industrial projects that can slow down.
Also known as Boiler TechnicianBoiler RepairerBoiler WelderPressure Vessel BoilermakerIndustrial Boilermaker
Median Salary
$73,340
Mean $76,900
U.S. Workforce
~10K
0.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-2.4%
10.4K to 10.1K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Boilermakers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~10K workers, with a median annual pay of $73,340 and roughly 0.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 10.4 K in 2024 to 10.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Post-secondary certificate, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Apprentice Boilermaker and can progress toward Foreman. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Critical Thinking, paired with soft skills such as Attention to Detail, Teamwork, and Safety Awareness.
Core Responsibilities
- Inspect boilers, tanks, and other pressure vessels for leaks, weak spots, cracks, and other damage that could turn into a safety problem.
- Use rigging gear and guide crane or hoist operators to move heavy metal sections into place during installation or repair.
- Weld, seal, or hammer tube ends and seams so the vessel holds pressure without leaking.
- Clean scale, rust, and residue from equipment before repairs or testing.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Inspect boilers, tanks, and other pressure vessels for leaks, weak spots, cracks, and other damage that could turn into a safety problem.
02 Use rigging gear and guide crane or hoist operators to move heavy metal sections into place during installation or repair.
03 Weld, seal, or hammer tube ends and seams so the vessel holds pressure without leaking.
04 Clean scale, rust, and residue from equipment before repairs or testing.
05 Run pressure tests to make sure a vessel can safely handle the load it was built for.
06 Fit valves, gauges, tubes, manholes, and other hardware into place and lay out metal parts for cutting and bending.
Industries That Hire
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Shipbuilding & Marine Repair
Huntington Ingalls Industries, General Dynamics NASSCO, BAE Systems
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Industrial Construction & Maintenance
Bechtel, Fluor, Kiewit
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Oil, Gas & Petrochemicals
Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell
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Heavy Manufacturing
Nucor, ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The median pay of $73,340 and mean pay of $76,900 are strong for a job that usually starts with a high school diploma and apprenticeship, not a four-year degree.
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Apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn, so you can build a trade without taking on college debt.
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The work is varied: one day may involve inspections and the next may involve rigging, welding, or pressure testing.
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Skills carry across power plants, shipyards, refineries, and manufacturing sites, so there are several places to use the same core trade.
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Overtime, outage work, and shutdown projects can push earnings above the listed median when demand is strong.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to fall by 2.4% to 10.1K by 2034, so the long-term outlook is weaker than many other trades.
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There are only about 0.8K annual openings, which means fewer chances to get in and more competition in some markets.
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The work is physically punishing, with heavy lifting, awkward positions, heat, noise, heights, and confined spaces all part of the job.
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Demand is tied to big industrial employers and capital projects, so slowdowns in power, shipbuilding, or heavy manufacturing can cut hours and overtime quickly.
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The career ladder is fairly narrow unless you move into supervision, because the core work stays specialized hands-on labor rather than a broad management track.
Career Progression
Apprentice Boilermaker
0-3 years
$42K-$57K
Learns safe tool use, rigging basics, cleanup, and simple fabrication tasks while working under close supervision.
Boilermaker
3-7 years
$60K-$85K
Handles inspections, repairs, welding, fitting, and pressure testing on active industrial jobs, and this tier contains the role's median pay of $73,340.
Senior Boilermaker THIS ROLE
7-12 years
$86K-$103K
Takes on harder troubleshooting jobs, leads smaller crews, and works on more complex vessels or shutdown work.
Foreman
12+ years
$104K-$126K
Coordinates crews, checks quality and safety, and keeps major repair or installation projects on schedule.
Education Paths
Post-secondary certificate
The most common path, held by 32.08% of workers in the O*NET data, often comes from welding or metalworking programs that teach layout, cutting, rigging, and inspection skills.
Some college courses
A smaller but still common route, held by 15.93% of workers, usually means taking college-level classes in welding, fabrication, or industrial technology before entering the trade.
Apprenticeship
BLS lists apprenticeship as the on-the-job training route for this occupation, and many employers want hands-on shop and field training even when no degree is required.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 75%
Operation and Control 69%
Critical Thinking 63%
Equipment Maintenance 53%
Quality Control Analysis 53%
Repairing 53%
Troubleshooting 53%
Welding, Cutting & Brazing Equipment 52%
Rigging, Hoists & Crane Signaling 51%
Pressure Testing & Leak Detection 51%
Blueprint Reading & Metal Layout 50%
Soft Skills
Attention to DetailTeamworkSafety AwarenessCommunicationProblem-SolvingPhysical Stamina Job Outlook and Trends
+-2.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 10.4K to 10.1 K over the next decade, representing -2.4% growth. Around 0.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.