Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Salary
The median pay for a stationary engineers and boiler operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $67,540/year ($32.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $68,961 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $68K actually covers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for stationary engineers and boiler operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $79K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $65K | $66K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $91K | $84K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $84K | $80K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $74K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level stationary engineers and boiler operators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $35K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a stationary engineers and boiler operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new stationary engineers and boiler operators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,103/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $68K here vs. $79K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for stationary engineers and boiler operators?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do stationary engineers and boiler operators make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $67,540 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,490, and experienced stationary engineers and boiler operators can clear $81,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,378/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 39.1% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $68,961 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.