Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Columbus, OH is $79,680/year ($38.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $83,461 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 27.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 stationary engineers and boiler operators
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What this looks like in Columbus
Stationary engineers and boiler operators pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,430/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $79K | $83K |
| Cleveland | $79K | $84K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $72K | $78K |
| Toledo | $76K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $116K | +47% | 1,680 |
| Wyoming | $112K | +42% | 100 |
| Hawaii | $103K | +32% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $95K | +21% | 270 |
| New York | $94K | +20% | 4,480 |
| Washington | $92K | +16% | 520 |
| California | $91K | +15% | 5,840 |
| District of Columbia | $90K | +15% | 620 |
| Alaska | $88K | +12% | 90 |
| Maryland | $85K | +8% | 850 |
| Michigan | $83K | +5% | 490 |
| Colorado | $81K | +3% | 560 |
| Massachusetts | $81K | +3% | 530 |
| Nevada | $79K | +1% | 60 |
| Montana | $78K | -1% | 110 |
| Delaware | $78K | -1% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $77K | -3% | 1,400 |
| Utah | $76K | -3% | 110 |
| Minnesota | $76K | -4% | 1,440 |
| Ohio | $75K | -4% | 760 |
| Arizona | $75K | -4% | 80 |
| New Mexico | $74K | -5% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | -7% | 1,730 |
| South Carolina | $73K | -8% | 170 |
| Missouri | $73K | -8% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -8% | 370 |
| Georgia | $71K | -10% | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $68K | -13% | 180 |
| Vermont | $68K | -13% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -13% | 90 |
| Oregon | $68K | -14% | 330 |
| Indiana | $68K | -14% | 290 |
| Iowa | $67K | -14% | 190 |
| Kentucky | $67K | -15% | 90 |
| North Dakota | $67K | -15% | 140 |
| New Hampshire | $66K | -16% | 60 |
| Florida | $65K | -17% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -17% | 290 |
| Kansas | $64K | -18% | 120 |
| Idaho | $64K | -18% | 120 |
| Virginia | $64K | -18% | 350 |
| Texas | $64K | -19% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | -19% | 60 |
| Maine | $63K | -20% | 290 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -22% | 270 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -23% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -26% | 200 |
| Mississippi | $54K | -32% | 200 |
| Alabama | $53K | -32% | 220 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -32% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -39% | 290 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track stationary engineers and boiler operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stationary engineers and boiler operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,636/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is stationary engineers and boiler operator a high-paying job in Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?
Columbus pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $79,680 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,600, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $90,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,245/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a stationary engineers and boiler operators salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 stationary engineers and boiler operators salary is worth about $83,461 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do stationary engineers and boiler operators 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.
