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Career Change Finder

Jobs for Former Boilermakers

Boilermakers build operations monitoring, operation and control and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (80%).

Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers

Skills you enjoy

Pick the skills you want to keep using. The list re-ranks.

Sorted by skill match.

25 careers that use your skills

  1. 1Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
    80%
    Median pay
    $78,620
    Pay change
    +3%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  2. 2Millwrights
    80%
    Median pay
    $65,700
    Pay change
    −14%
    Extra educationNone
  3. 3Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
    77%
    Median pay
    $74,340
    Pay change
    −3%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  4. 4Wellhead Pumpers
    77%
    Median pay
    $69,960
    Pay change
    −8%
    Extra educationNone
  5. 5Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
    75%
    Median pay
    $70,070
    Pay change
    −8%
    Extra educationNone
  6. 6Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
    75%
    Median pay
    $92,100
    Pay change
    Not compared
    Pay for the broader BLS group “Transportation Inspectors”
    Extra educationNone
  7. 7Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
    74%
    Median pay
    $53,710
    Pay change
    −30%
    Extra educationNone
  8. 8Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
    74%
    Median pay
    $77,320
    Pay change
    +1%
    Extra educationNone
  9. 9Rail Car Repairers
    74%
    Median pay
    $67,530
    Pay change
    −12%
    Extra educationNone
  10. 10Power Plant Operators
    74%
    Median pay
    $102,040
    Pay change
    +34%
    Extra educationNone

Compared with Boilermakers, median $76,410. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.

Your transferable skills

How important each skill is in work as boilermakers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).

Operations Monitoring4.00
Operation and Control3.75
Quality Control Analysis3.12
Repairing3.12
Troubleshooting3.12
Equipment Maintenance3.12

Skills to learn

The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.

  • Programming
  • Systems Analysis
  • Management of Financial Resources
  • Installation

Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.

Your top 3 moves, up close

A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

80% skill match · $78,620 · +3% pay

First step

  • Most common education: Post-Secondary Certificate (47% of workers).
  • Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree — more preparation than your current job.
  • A certification can help.
  • On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.

Skills to add

Systems Evaluation · Persuasion · Systems Analysis

Is this right for you?

  • Exposure to hazardous conditions
  • Work outdoors in all weather
  • Mistakes can have serious consequences

Millwrights

80% skill match · $65,700 · −14% pay

First step

  • Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (46% of workers).
  • A certification can help.
  • On-the-job training: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.

Skills to add

Installation · Persuasion · Negotiation

Is this right for you?

  • Tight deadlines are common
  • Mistakes can have serious consequences
  • Work outdoors in all weather

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

77% skill match · $74,340 · −3% pay

First step

  • Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (47% of workers).
  • Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree — more preparation than your current job.
  • On-the-job training: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.

Skills to add

Programming · Installation · Management of Financial Resources

Is this right for you?

  • Work outdoors in all weather
  • Tight deadlines are common
  • Exposure to hazardous conditions

Similar roles in the same field

If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.

Free help near you

Former boilermakers can get free career counseling, job search help and, if you qualify, help paying for training through American Job Centers, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Find an American Job CenterFind training programs

Links go to CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Questions former boilermakers ask

What jobs can former boilermakers do?

The closest matches are Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (80% skill match, median $78,620), Millwrights (80% skill match, median $65,700) and Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (77% skill match, median $74,340), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.

Which boilermaker career changes pay more?

Among the 25 matches, 6 pay more than boilermakers at the median. The biggest increases: Ship Engineers (+43%, $109,530), Power Plant Operators (+34%, $102,040) and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+27%, $96,710).

Do former boilermakers need another degree?

17 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.

How is the skill match calculated?

We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.

Keep exploring

Sources. Skills, tasks and education: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Data Sources & Licenses