Boilermaker salary in Louisiana
Median $35.57 an hour for 1,220 boilermakers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Boilermaker pay in Louisiana: the full range
Louisiana ranks 27th of 37 states for median boilermaker pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $40.33). 1,220 boilermakers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $30.48 – $31.68 | $63,390 – $65,890 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $31.68 – $36.04 | $65,890 – $74,960 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $36.04 – $37.16 | $74,960 – $77,290 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Boilermaker pay by metro in Louisiana
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | $31.70 | $37.16 | $40.13 | $37.57 | 120 | 4% above |
| Baton Rouge | $30.30 | $35.93 | $39.57 | $36.90 | 680 | 1% above |
| Lafayette | $31.07 | $34.00 | $38.99 | $37.02 | 110 | 4% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Boilermaker wages in Louisiana over time
Table
| Year | Louisiana $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $17.14 | $33.12 | $18.09 | 430 |
| 2000 | $15.73 | $29.41 | $17.80 | 750 |
| 2001 | $16.80 | $30.54 | $19.06 | 760 |
| 2002 | $17.49 | $31.30 | $20.17 | 1,440 |
| 2003 | $18.97 | $33.19 | $20.79 | 890 |
| 2004 | $20.07 | $34.21 | $21.68 | 640 |
| 2005 | $19.35 | $31.90 | $23.10 | 760 |
| 2006 | $19.60 | $31.30 | $22.58 | 740 |
| 2007 | $21.14 | $32.82 | $24.38 | 800 |
| 2008 | — | — | $25.13 | 780 |
| 2009 | — | — | $26.97 | 860 |
| 2010 | — | — | $26.27 | 660 |
| 2011 | $25.55 | $36.57 | $27.36 | 470 |
| 2012 | $24.42 | $34.24 | $27.19 | 430 |
| 2013 | $20.40 | $28.19 | $27.74 | 500 |
| 2014 | $25.20 | $34.27 | $28.78 | 930 |
| 2015 | $26.28 | $35.70 | $28.90 | 1,530 |
| 2016 | $28.37 | $38.06 | $29.84 | 1,670 |
| 2017 | $27.77 | $36.47 | $29.93 | 1,510 |
| 2018 | $28.59 | $36.66 | $29.88 | 840 |
| 2019 | $29.31 | $36.91 | $30.34 | 1,320 |
| 2020 | $30.74 | $38.24 | $31.42 | 1,250 |
| 2021 | $29.64 | $35.22 | $30.91 | 1,280 |
| 2022 | $35.89 | $39.48 | $32.17 | 2,160 |
| 2023 | $36.72 | $38.80 | $34.20 | 1,900 |
| 2024 | $36.69 | $37.66 | $35.26 | 1,620 |
| 2025 | $35.57 | $35.57 | $36.74 | 1,220 |
In today's dollars, the median boilermaker wage in Louisiana changed by -0.4% over the last ten years of data and by -3.6% since 2019.
Are there more boilermaker jobs in Louisiana?
BLS counted 1,220 boilermakers in Louisiana in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 12%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for boilermakers in Louisiana
Louisiana's labor market agency projects the number of boilermakers in the state to change by +0.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,680 to 1,680, with about 140 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects -1.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,220 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Louisiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Louisiana?
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just boilermakers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 51 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 67,056 in 2015 to 63,797 in 2025, -4.9%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish | 351 | 1,940 | $129,981 | $2,500 |
| Plaquemines Parish | 54 | 1,000 | $122,438 | $2,355 |
| Iberville Parish | 42 | 527 | $82,977 | $1,596 |
| West Baton Rouge Parish | 66 | 1,740 | $81,977 | $1,576 |
| St. Bernard Parish | 81 | 527 | $81,535 | $1,568 |
| Richland Parish | 42 | 251 | $81,506 | $1,567 |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 893 | 10,058 | $80,106 | $1,540 |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 62 | 792 | $77,555 | $1,491 |
| St. Charles Parish | 117 | 1,574 | $75,983 | $1,461 |
| Grant Parish | 29 | 171 | $75,937 | $1,460 |
| St. Mary Parish | 74 | 567 | $73,867 | $1,421 |
| Ascension Parish | 256 | 4,057 | $73,040 | $1,405 |
| Calcasieu Parish | 403 | 3,795 | $72,703 | $1,398 |
| Morehouse Parish | 29 | 200 | $72,609 | $1,396 |
| Lafourche Parish | 132 | 2,132 | $71,973 | $1,384 |
| Jefferson Parish | 918 | 6,623 | $70,837 | $1,362 |
| St. James Parish | 19 | 254 | $69,511 | $1,337 |
| Lafayette Parish | 564 | 4,244 | $69,342 | $1,333 |
| Iberia Parish | 96 | 1,033 | $68,229 | $1,312 |
| Caddo Parish | 408 | 3,487 | $65,263 | $1,255 |
| St. Tammany Parish | 648 | 3,614 | $64,665 | $1,244 |
| Vernon Parish | 37 | 300 | $63,264 | $1,217 |
| Union Parish | 30 | 129 | $63,092 | $1,213 |
| Ouachita Parish | 326 | 2,819 | $63,032 | $1,212 |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 223 | 1,147 | $61,740 | $1,187 |
| Vermilion Parish | 83 | 558 | $61,273 | $1,178 |
| East Feliciana Parish | 26 | 114 | $61,149 | $1,176 |
| Livingston Parish | 340 | 1,443 | $60,644 | $1,166 |
| St. Landry Parish | 126 | 831 | $60,212 | $1,158 |
| Bossier Parish | 211 | 1,318 | $59,630 | $1,147 |
| Terrebonne Parish | 189 | 1,030 | $58,449 | $1,124 |
| Acadia Parish | 101 | 562 | $58,090 | $1,117 |
| Assumption Parish | 16 | 147 | $57,531 | $1,106 |
| Rapides Parish | 188 | 1,203 | $56,905 | $1,094 |
| Franklin Parish | 24 | 140 | $56,625 | $1,089 |
| St. Martin Parish | 87 | 452 | $56,549 | $1,087 |
| Jackson Parish | 15 | 85 | $56,501 | $1,087 |
| De Soto Parish | 49 | 501 | $56,489 | $1,086 |
| Beauregard Parish | 52 | 174 | $53,136 | $1,022 |
| Webster Parish | 59 | 214 | $52,552 | $1,011 |
| Jefferson Davis Parish | 44 | 222 | $52,295 | $1,006 |
| Washington Parish | 46 | 381 | $52,211 | $1,004 |
| Bienville Parish | 14 | 40 | $52,078 | $1,001 |
| Natchitoches Parish | 47 | 329 | $51,684 | $994 |
| Winn Parish | 16 | 34 | $50,954 | $980 |
| West Feliciana Parish | 16 | 44 | $50,951 | $980 |
| Lincoln Parish | 73 | 532 | $50,899 | $979 |
| Pointe Coupee Parish | 36 | 88 | $49,737 | $956 |
| Avoyelles Parish | 63 | 243 | $47,493 | $913 |
| Sabine Parish | 39 | 80 | $46,436 | $893 |
| LaSalle Parish | 19 | 109 | $41,218 | $793 |
| Caldwell Parish | 11 | 19 | $39,426 | $758 |
| Evangeline Parish | 26 | 82 | $38,210 | $735 |
| Madison Parish | 5 | 22 | $37,381 | $719 |
| Allen Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Cameron Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Catahoula Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Claiborne Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Concordia Parish | — | — | — | — |
| East Carroll Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Red River Parish | — | — | — | — |
| St. Helena Parish | — | — | — | — |
| Tensas Parish | — | — | — | — |
| West Carroll Parish | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Boilermaker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Louisiana
More on Louisiana
Questions this page answers
How much do boilermakers make in Louisiana?
The median boilermaker in Louisiana earned $35.57 an hour ($73,980 a year) in May 2025, 3% below the national median of $36.74. The middle half earn $31.68–$36.04; the top 10% earn more than $37.16.
Where does Louisiana rank for boilermaker pay?
Louisiana ranks 27th of 37 states for boilermaker pay, with a median of $35.57 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.2, US = 100).
What is the union boilermaker rate in Louisiana?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a boilermaker classification for most Louisiana counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many boilermakers work in Louisiana?
BLS counted 1,220 boilermakers in Louisiana in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 9.60; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is boilermaker work growing in Louisiana?
Louisiana's labor market agency projects +0.2% growth for boilermakers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,680 to 1,680 jobs.
How many boilermaker openings a year are there in Louisiana?
Louisiana projects about 140 openings a year for boilermakers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 700 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Louisiana and metro areas, SOC 47-2011. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Louisiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.