Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Grand Forks, ND-MN is $74,240/year ($35.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.66), which stretches that salary to about $85,668 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,089/month, or 21.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Grand Forks?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Forks’s Regional Price Parity (86.66). 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 Grand Forks
Stationary engineers and boiler operators pay in Grand Forks tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,089/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.66 (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 stationary engineers and boiler operators in metros near Grand Forks, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $67K | $73K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $77K | $73K |
| Duluth | $75K | $85K |
| Rochester | $72K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Forks, ND-MN
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $26K 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 states
Track stationary engineers and boiler operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Grand Forks numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stationary engineers and boiler operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Forks?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,089/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Grand Forks?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,885/month. At HUD’s $1,089/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is stationary engineers and boiler operator a high-paying job in Grand Forks?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Grand Forks compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?
Grand Forks pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Grand Forks, ND-MN?
The median is $74,240 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,750, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $90,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Grand Forks?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,931/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,089/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Grand Forks?
Grand Forks has a Regional Price Parity of 86.66 (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 $85,668 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.