Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Production · SOC 51-8021
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-8021 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 61/100
- High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $78,620
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 3,700
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +2.2%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 4,528 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~16.3% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Auxiliary Operator, Boiler Operator, Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech), Operating Engineer, Operator, Plant Utilities Engineer
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids.
- •Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
- •Operate energy production equipment.
- •Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- •Monitor equipment fluid levels.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $78,620 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |