Boilermakers Salary
In Pittsburgh, PA, boilermakers earn $91,420 at the median, or about $43.95 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $96,567 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $91K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh sits well above the national pay line for boilermakers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,299/month, 22.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Pittsburgh offers a genuinely strong financial position for boilermakerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for boilermakers in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $87K | $85K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $107K | $111K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $82K | $73K |
| Toledo | $108K | $118K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level boilermakers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $35K 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 with published data
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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a boilermaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 22.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for boilermakers in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new boilermakers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,055/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is boilermaker a high-paying job in Pittsburgh?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $91K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for boilermakers?
Pittsburgh pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do boilermakers make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $91,420 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,590, and experienced boilermakers can clear $102,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,824/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 22.3% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $96,567 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.