Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

51-8021 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Occupational Description:
Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment, such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2025

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Northwest Minnesota	140	21	$33.44/hr	$27.80/hr	$31.39/hr	$32.96/hr	$35.48/hr	$39.87/hr

Leading Industries for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Natural Resources and Mining	N/A	N/A
Manufacturing	380	$36.41/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	100	$49.12/hr
Financial Activities	N/A	N/A
Professional and Business Services	270	$34.47/hr
Education and Health Services	650	$35.11/hr
Leisure and Hospitality	N/A	N/A
Public Administration	120	$36.24/hr

Other Regional Data for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	30	$32.48/hr	N/A
Northeast Balance of State	30	$39.86/hr	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	40	$35.26/hr	N/A
Duluth MN-WI MSA	70	$35.63/hr	N/A
Fargo ND-MN MSA	80	$31.26/hr	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	80	$35.00/hr	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	90	$36.31/hr	-2.3%
Southwest Balance of State	90	$35.95/hr	N/A
Rochester MN MSA	100	$37.81/hr	N/A
Northwest Balance of State	100	$33.93/hr	N/A
Southwest Minnesota	120	$37.17/hr	7.4%
Northwest Minnesota	140	$32.96/hr	0.0%
Southeast Balance of State	140	$37.17/hr	N/A
Central Minnesota	160	$35.00/hr	4.0%
Southeast Minnesota	200	$37.79/hr	5.9%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	800	$36.24/hr	3.7%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	840	$36.24/hr	N/A
Minnesota	1,540	$35.95/hr	3.3%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Power Plant Operators	710	$43.05/hr	-10.7%
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers	70	$25.71/hr	9.0%
Gas Plant Operators	110	$41.42/hr	-9.8%
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	1,510	$25.97/hr	4.5%
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers	100	$25.20/hr	-6.3%
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	2,190	$23.28/hr	5.3%
Maintenance Workers, Machinery	840	$31.19/hr	12.7%
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	1,480	$25.15/hr	3.5%
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Chemical Plant and System Operators	110	$31.48/hr	3.0%

Task for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Weigh, measure, and record fuel used.
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.
Operate mechanical hoppers and provide assistance in their adjustment and repair.
Receive instructions from steam engineers regarding steam plant and air compressor operations.
Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
Check the air quality of ventilation systems and make adjustments to ensure compliance with mandated safety codes.
Fire coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps.
Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.