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Production & Manufacturing · Denver-Aurora-Centennial

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary

in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $82,100/year ($39.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $77,614 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 41% of take-home, which is tight.

Our verdict:Tight. Expect trade-offs
Median pay
$82K
per year, before taxes
Hourly
$39.47
median hourly rate
Starting out
$55K
10th percentile
Top earners
$98K
90th percentile

Where the paycheck goes

What $82K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month

Take-home pay
after estimated taxes
$5,211/mo
Rent
2-bedroom median (HUD)
-$2,169/mo
Groceries
scaled to local prices
-$415/mo
Utilities
power, water, internet
-$207/mo
Transportation
car, gas, transit
-$364/mo
Healthcare *
employee share only
-$241/mo
Rent as % of take-home41.6% ⚠ above 30% guideline
Left over each month$1,815/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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.

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About stationary engineers and boiler operators

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employed: 28,250
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO employed: 340
Category: Production & Manufacturing

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What this looks like in Denver-Aurora-Centennial

Stationary engineers and boiler operators pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,169/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.

Compared to nearby metros

Median pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.

MetroMedian payCOL-adjusted
Omaha$72K$78K

COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Bar chart showing Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators salary percentiles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 10th percentile $54,810, 25th percentile $67,760, median $82,100, 75th percentile $91,470, 90th percentile $97,560. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$55K25th$68KMedian$82K75th$91K90th$98K
Bar chart showing Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators salary percentiles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 10th percentile $54,810, 25th percentile $67,760, median $82,100, 75th percentile $91,470, 90th percentile $97,560. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.

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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
StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
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
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Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)

Track stationary engineers and boiler operators salary changes

BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.

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Quick answers

The stuff people actually ask about this job

Can a stationary engineers and boiler operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

What’s the entry-level salary for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,639/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 4% difference.

How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?

Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.

How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median is $82,100 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,810, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $97,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $82K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,211/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 41.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.

How far does a stationary engineers and boiler operators salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?

Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median stationary engineers and boiler operators salary is worth about $77,614 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.

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