Boilermakers

Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.

Also called: Boiler Installer, Boiler Mechanic, Boiler Repairman, Boiler Service Technician (Boiler Service Tech), Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech), Boilermaker, Boilermaker Mechanic, Boilermaker Pipe Fitter, Boilermaker Welder, Industrial Boiler Service Technician (Industrial Boiler Service Tech), Assembler, Boiler Control Technician (Boiler Control Tech), Boiler Erector, Boiler Fitter, Boiler Maker, Boiler Reliner, Boiler Setter, Boiler Shop Mechanic, Boiler Tester, Boiler Welder, Boilerhouse Mechanic, Boilermaker Fitter, Boilermaker Journeyman, Erector, Fitter, Industrial Boilermaker, Industrial Field Service Boilermaker, Locomotive Boilermaker, Pressure Tester

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.
Locate and mark reference points for columns or plates on boiler foundations, following blueprints and using straightedges, squares, transits, or measuring instruments.
Shape or fabricate parts, such as stacks, uptakes, or chutes, to adapt pressure vessels, heat exchangers, or piping to premises, using heavy-metalworking machines such as brakes, rolls, or drill presses.
Position, align, and secure structural parts or related assemblies to boiler frames, tanks, or vats of pressure vessels, following blueprints.
Clean pressure vessel equipment, using scrapers, wire brushes, and cleaning solvents.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Critical Thinking
Equipment Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Repairing
Quality Control Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Active Learning
Monitoring

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate (32.08% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

64,760–95,430 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 47-2011.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Build troubleshooting, preventive-maintenance, and controls experience; explore senior technician, maintenance planning, or lead responsibilities.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate (32.08% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Boilermakers