Boilermakers Salary
In Lafayette, LA, boilermakers earn $70,720 at the median, or about $34 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $81,092 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,019/month, or 21.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $71K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About boilermakers
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What this looks like in Lafayette
Boilermakers pay in Lafayette tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,019/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for boilermakers in metros near Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $75K | $82K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $77K | $83K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $77K | $78K |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $73K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level boilermakers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Boilermakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Boilermakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118K | +55% | 720 |
| Mississippi | $106K | +39% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $101K | +32% | 300 |
| Illinois | $100K | +31% | 110 |
| Michigan | $98K | +29% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $98K | +28% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $96K | +26% | 140 |
| Washington | $95K | +25% | 190 |
| Indiana | $91K | +20% | 170 |
| Colorado | $89K | +17% | 40 |
| Idaho | $88K | +16% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $87K | +14% | 260 |
| Ohio | $86K | +12% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | +12% | 60 |
| New York | $85K | +11% | 410 |
| Iowa | $82K | +8% | 50 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +8% | 280 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +5% | 50 |
| Missouri | $79K | +3% | 100 |
| Arizona | $78K | +2% | 170 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +2% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | +2% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $77K | +1% | 50 |
| Texas | $76K | -1% | 2,340 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -2% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $75K | -2% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -3% | 1,220 |
| Kansas | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Florida | $70K | -9% | 400 |
| Virginia | $68K | -12% | 150 |
| Georgia | $64K | -16% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $64K | -16% | 30 |
| Alabama | $64K | -17% | 180 |
| Nevada | $61K | -20% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -32% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -35% | 150 |
| Maryland | $42K | -45% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track boilermakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a boilermaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for boilermakers in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new boilermakers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,878/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is boilermaker a high-paying job in Lafayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for boilermakers?
Lafayette pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do boilermakers make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $70,720 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,630, and experienced boilermakers can clear $76,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,643/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 21.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a boilermakers salary go in Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median boilermakers salary is worth about $81,092 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do boilermakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.