Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $69,600/year ($33.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $71,797 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Milwaukee-Waukesha runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $79K. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $116K | $112K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $77K | $73K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $88K | $87K |
| Duluth | $75K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $22K 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,617/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $70K here vs. $79K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $69,600 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,290, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $82,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,559/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 29.3% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $71,797 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.