Production
Stationary engineers and boiler operators
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.
Median pay
$78,620
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
3,200
Time to qualify*
12 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Stationary engineers and boiler operators
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to stationary engineers and boiler operators
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Stationary engineers and boiler operators: 32% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Auxiliary Operator · Boiler Operator · Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech) · Operating Engineer · Operator · Plant Utilities Engineer · Recovery Boiler Operator · Stationary Engineer
Outlook and AI
Stationary engineers and boiler operators held 31,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 32,200 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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