Stationary Engineer
R-09R Other Maintenance and facilities jobs · Skilled level · O*NET 51-8021.00
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $63,810
- work over
40 h a week - 32%
- load index
from O*NET data - 3.3/5
- preparation
O*NET - Job Zone 3
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
All pay records and context (1)
- State of Texas class salary ranges for this occupation (which class equals this rung is not published here): Engineer I $61,184 to $99,658 · Engineer II $65,104 to $106,634 · Engineer III $69,572 to $114,099 · Engineer IV $76,530 to $129,430 · Engineer V $84,182 to $142,374 · Engineer VI $92,600 to $156,612 Fiscal 2026-27 (Sept 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2027) source
Whole occupation: all Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000051802113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 890 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000051802101).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000051802113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 890 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000051802101).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, not level-specific BLS
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
BLS
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- No Texas projection is published for this occupation.
- United States
- +2.1% jobs · about 3,800 openings a year (33,300 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2023, n = 21 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2023, n = 21 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 82% · irregular 17% · seasonal 1%
Physical load 3.3 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.79, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.72, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.79, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.72, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing3.58
- Walking or running3.23
- Bending or twisting2.62
- Kneeling or crawling2.52
- Keeping balance2.42
- Climbing ladders2.36
Exposure
- Hazardous conditions4.29
- Outdoors, all weather4.26
- Very hot or cold4.08
- Hazardous equipment3.99
- High places3.66
- Cramped space3.38
- Protective gear2.38
Getting in
- License
- No license for this job found at TDLR electricians, A/C or TSBPE; TDLR's Boiler Safety program was not checked in this round. not checked yet
- Degree
- 0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: Post-Secondary Certificate
- Experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years of related experience is the most common answer (24% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Skilled: O*NET Job Zone 3 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 6
- E Power Plant Operator O*NET lists Power Plant Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91. License: depends on the work.
- E Biomass Plant Technician O*NET lists Biomass Plant Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91. License: depends on the work.
- I Instrumentation Technician O*NET lists Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88. License: depends on the work.
- E Geothermal Technician O*NET lists Geothermal Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91. License: depends on the work.
What the work is 6 core tasks
Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.
- Operate or tend stationary engines, boilers, and auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, or air-conditioning equipment, to supply and maintain steam or heat for buildings, marine vessels, or pneumatic tools.
- Activate valves to maintain required amounts of water in boilers, to adjust supplies of combustion air, and to control the flow of fuel into burners.
- Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
- Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems.
- Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
- Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Maintenance
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Active Learning
Sources (3)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000051802113, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 51-8021.00 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
