Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA is $43,490/year ($20.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.1), which stretches that salary to about $51,105 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,102/month, about 37.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux’s Regional Price Parity (85.1). 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 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
Pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux runs about 45% below the U.S. median of $79K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,102/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.1 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 15% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for stationary engineers and boiler operatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in metros near Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $47K | $51K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $50K | $54K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $71K | $68K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $68K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $41K 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 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,102/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,365/month. At HUD’s $1,102/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
Local pay runs 45% below the national median — $43K here vs. $79K nationally. Cost of living is 15% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA?
The median is $43,490 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,420, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $80,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,972/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,102/month, which eats 37.1% 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 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux?
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux has a Regional Price Parity of 85.1 (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 $51,105 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.
