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Boilermaking

Types of Degrees Boilermaking Majors Are Earning

Those studying Boilermaking may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	14
Associate’s Degree	10
Master’s Degree	1

What Boilermaking Majors Need to Know

Programs in Boilermaking develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Boilermaking graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Boilermaking emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Boilermaking program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Equipment Maintenance — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Boilermaking careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Boilermaking graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	4.1 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.8 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.7 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.7 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.5 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Boilermaking professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Health and safety training software	Computer based training software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Boilermaking graduates include:

• Industrial Boilermaker
• Boilermaker Mechanic
• Industrial Field Service Boilermaker
• Pressure Tester
• Boiler Fitter
• Boiler Control Technician (Boiler Control Tech)
• Fitter
• Boiler Installer
• Boiler Erector
• Boilermaker
• Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech)
• Boilermaker Journeyman
• Boiler Setter
• Boiler Maker
• Boilermaker Welder

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Boilermaking graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	52%
Postsecondary certificate	32.1%
Some college courses	15.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Boilermaking?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 96% of Boilermaking degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1	4.0%
Men	24	96.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Boilermaking graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	10	40.0%
Hispanic or Latino	4	16.0%
Black or African American	2	8.0%
Race Unknown	9	36.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Production Product Development	67,885
Precision Metal Working	67,063
Woodworking	659
Precision Production, Other	95
Leatherworking and Upholstery	26
PRECISION PRODUCTION	17

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.