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What Do Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator Do?

Job Description & Duties 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.

Life As a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator

Fire coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps.
Provide assistance to plumbers in repairing or replacing water, sewer, or waste lines, and in daily maintenance activities.
Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
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.
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.
Ignite fuel in burners, using torches or flames.

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What a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator Should Know

When polled, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Heating Operators Engineer
Fan Runner
Heating and Ventilating Worker
Exhaust Worker
Utilities Operator

Job Opportunities for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

In the United States, there were 35,700 jobs for Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,800 new jobs for Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator by 2026. The BLS estimates 3,900 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator are Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Make A Lot Of Money?

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators make between $36,550 and $96,660 a year.

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators who work in Illinois, California, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.

How much do Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators make in each U.S. state?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$47,500
Alaska	$69,120
Arizona	$53,470
Arkansas	$46,780
California	$84,160
Colorado	$60,710
Connecticut	$64,930
Delaware	$63,430
District of Columbia	$77,800
Florida	$54,790
Georgia	$58,540
Idaho	$50,650
Illinois	$81,650
Indiana	$52,220
Iowa	$55,100
Kansas	$53,940
Kentucky	$41,570
Louisiana	$49,090
Maine	$49,580
Maryland	$61,830
Massachusetts	$63,580
Michigan	$63,060
Minnesota	$59,870
Mississippi	$48,070
Missouri	$52,160
Montana	$56,960
Nebraska	$48,390
New Hampshire	$60,970
New Jersey	$58,990
New Mexico	$50,050
New York	$77,570
North Carolina	$43,870
North Dakota	$59,590
Ohio	$58,490
Oklahoma	$55,080
Oregon	$60,200
Pennsylvania	$55,590
Rhode Island	$56,470
South Carolina	$44,710
South Dakota	$46,200
Tennessee	$61,680
Texas	$51,060
Utah	$59,220
Vermont	$45,510
Virginia	$53,110
Washington	$70,180
West Virginia	$48,280
Wisconsin	$57,400
Wyoming	$68,170

What Tools & Technology do Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators:

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Outlook
Web browser software
Data entry software
Email software
Word processing software
SAP
Spreadsheet software
Database software
Graphics software
Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
Statistical software
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS

Becoming a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator

Individuals working as a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator?

Who Employs Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…

Career changers with experience as a Stationary Engineer or Boiler Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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