Boilermaker salary in Tennessee
Median $24.91 an hour for 180 boilermakers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
$24.91/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$51,810/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.66 – $53.2010th to 90th percentilehourly range
180Jobs countedemployer survey
Boilermaker pay in Tennessee: the full range
Tennessee ranks 35th of 37 states for median boilermaker pay, and 35th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.11). 180 boilermakers work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $22.66 – $24.00 | $47,130 – $49,910 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.00 – $50.66 | $49,910 – $105,370 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $50.66 – $53.20 | $105,370 – $110,660 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Boilermaker pay by metro in Tennessee
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $24.72 | $24.72 | $53.20 | 50 | 1% below |
Boilermaker wages in Tennessee over time
Table
| Year | Tennessee $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $22.19 | $42.88 | $18.09 | 400 |
| 2000 | $18.73 | $35.02 | $17.80 | 1,170 |
| 2001 | $18.86 | $34.28 | $19.06 | — |
| 2002 | $19.46 | $34.82 | $20.17 | 720 |
| 2003 | $19.86 | $34.75 | $20.79 | 900 |
| 2004 | $19.66 | $33.51 | $21.68 | 200 |
| 2005 | $23.90 | $39.40 | $23.10 | 220 |
| 2006 | $25.11 | $40.10 | $22.58 | 300 |
| 2007 | $26.12 | $40.56 | $24.38 | 240 |
| 2008 | $25.06 | $37.47 | $25.13 | 270 |
| 2009 | $24.90 | $37.37 | $26.97 | 150 |
| 2010 | $26.24 | $38.74 | $26.27 | 310 |
| 2011 | $25.35 | $36.28 | $27.36 | 340 |
| 2012 | $29.91 | $41.94 | $27.19 | 540 |
| 2013 | $29.98 | $41.43 | $27.74 | 570 |
| 2014 | — | — | $28.78 | 270 |
| 2015 | $29.14 | $39.58 | $28.90 | 290 |
| 2016 | $32.34 | $43.38 | $29.84 | 280 |
| 2017 | $27.09 | $35.58 | $29.93 | 430 |
| 2018 | $34.94 | $44.80 | $29.88 | 410 |
| 2019 | $24.77 | $31.19 | $30.34 | 420 |
| 2020 | $24.33 | $30.26 | $31.42 | 370 |
| 2021 | $29.50 | $35.05 | $30.91 | 540 |
| 2022 | $31.51 | $34.66 | $32.17 | 350 |
| 2023 | $36.61 | $38.68 | $34.20 | 180 |
| 2024 | $23.95 | $24.58 | $35.26 | 290 |
| 2025 | $24.91 | $24.91 | $36.74 | 180 |
In today's dollars, the median boilermaker wage in Tennessee changed by -37.1% over the last ten years of data.
Is construction work growing in Tennessee?
168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
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.
| County | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 921 | $94,972 | $1,826 |
| Haywood County | 235 | $90,389 | $1,738 |
| Roane County | 598 | $87,468 | $1,682 |
| Marion County | 286 | $87,072 | $1,674 |
| Williamson County | 5,452 | $85,205 | $1,639 |
| Davidson County | 20,362 | $85,012 | $1,635 |
| Shelby County | 13,271 | $84,922 | $1,633 |
| Anderson County | 1,351 | $81,706 | $1,571 |
| Wilson County | 2,332 | $79,342 | $1,526 |
| Sumner County | 3,111 | $79,181 | $1,523 |
| Robertson County | 1,220 | $77,372 | $1,488 |
| Rutherford County | 4,977 | $76,799 | $1,477 |
| Madison County | 1,932 | $76,576 | $1,473 |
| Hamilton County | 7,841 | $76,500 | $1,471 |
| Knox County | 9,604 | $75,208 | $1,446 |
| Cheatham County | 722 | $74,244 | $1,428 |
| Tipton County | 1,206 | $74,182 | $1,427 |
| Decatur County | 50 | $74,119 | $1,425 |
| Sullivan County | 2,937 | $73,423 | $1,412 |
| Hamblen County | 998 | $72,756 | $1,399 |
| Blount County | 2,145 | $72,630 | $1,397 |
| Lewis County | 87 | $70,714 | $1,360 |
| Montgomery County | 1,862 | $69,916 | $1,345 |
| Humphreys County | 265 | $68,992 | $1,327 |
| Coffee County | 495 | $68,541 | $1,318 |
| Hickman County | 306 | $68,403 | $1,315 |
| Gibson County | 718 | $68,216 | $1,312 |
| Dickson County | 915 | $68,051 | $1,309 |
| Rhea County | 146 | $67,597 | $1,300 |
| Hardeman County | 91 | $67,136 | $1,291 |
| White County | 191 | $66,143 | $1,272 |
| Maury County | 1,708 | $65,816 | $1,266 |
| Perry County | 51 | $65,533 | $1,260 |
| Fayette County | 422 | $65,296 | $1,256 |
| Scott County | 193 | $65,139 | $1,253 |
| Grainger County | 258 | $64,746 | $1,245 |
| Bradley County | 951 | $64,320 | $1,237 |
| Loudon County | 594 | $63,937 | $1,230 |
| Warren County | 418 | $63,851 | $1,228 |
| Obion County | 333 | $63,534 | $1,222 |
| Union County | 136 | $63,193 | $1,215 |
| Claiborne County | 161 | $62,269 | $1,197 |
| Henderson County | 261 | $62,196 | $1,196 |
| Putnam County | 1,325 | $61,494 | $1,183 |
| Marshall County | 469 | $61,065 | $1,174 |
| Carter County | 356 | $60,027 | $1,154 |
| Cumberland County | 755 | $59,263 | $1,140 |
| Franklin County | 174 | $59,251 | $1,139 |
| Stewart County | 147 | $59,008 | $1,135 |
| Hardin County | 143 | $58,148 | $1,118 |
| Macon County | 132 | $58,099 | $1,117 |
| Greene County | 556 | $57,757 | $1,111 |
| Washington County | 1,321 | $57,741 | $1,110 |
| Cocke County | 216 | $57,640 | $1,108 |
| Dyer County | 482 | $57,558 | $1,107 |
| Sevier County | 1,076 | $57,536 | $1,106 |
| McMinn County | 339 | $57,437 | $1,105 |
| Grundy County | 13 | $57,266 | $1,101 |
| McNairy County | 157 | $57,156 | $1,099 |
| Jackson County | 99 | $56,952 | $1,095 |
| Monroe County | 189 | $56,655 | $1,090 |
| Smith County | 107 | $55,818 | $1,073 |
| Jefferson County | 310 | $55,800 | $1,073 |
| Lauderdale County | 88 | $55,533 | $1,068 |
| Giles County | 192 | $54,722 | $1,052 |
| Lincoln County | 144 | $54,433 | $1,047 |
| Campbell County | 298 | $54,179 | $1,042 |
| Trousdale County | 56 | $53,700 | $1,033 |
| Henry County | 290 | $53,252 | $1,024 |
| Hawkins County | 336 | $52,201 | $1,004 |
| DeKalb County | 100 | $52,194 | $1,004 |
| Morgan County | 29 | $51,936 | $999 |
| Fentress County | 95 | $51,118 | $983 |
| Cannon County | 77 | $50,961 | $980 |
| Carroll County | 99 | $50,101 | $963 |
| Lawrence County | 273 | $49,877 | $959 |
| Crockett County | 76 | $49,492 | $952 |
| Moore County | 13 | $49,068 | $944 |
| Sequatchie County | 34 | $45,625 | $877 |
| Polk County | 89 | $45,075 | $867 |
| Weakley County | 134 | $41,060 | $790 |
| Wayne County | 52 | $41,010 | $789 |
| Johnson County | 75 | $38,162 | $734 |
| Unicoi County | 75 | $35,740 | $687 |
| Pickett County | 26 | $33,147 | $637 |
| Hancock County | 12 | $27,649 | $532 |
| Benton County | — | — | — |
| Bledsoe County | — | — | — |
| Chester County | — | — | — |
| Clay County | — | — | — |
| Houston County | — | — | — |
| Lake County | — | — | — |
| Meigs County | — | — | — |
| Overton County | — | — | — |
| Van Buren County | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Boilermaker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Tennessee
Questions this page answers
How much do boilermakers make in Tennessee?
The median boilermaker in Tennessee earned $24.91 an hour ($51,810 a year) in May 2025, 32% below the national median of $36.74. The middle half earn $24.00–$50.66; the top 10% earn more than $53.20.
Where does Tennessee rank for boilermaker pay?
Tennessee ranks 35th of 37 states for boilermaker pay, with a median of $24.91 an hour, and 35th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).
What is the union boilermaker rate in Tennessee?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a boilermaker classification for most Tennessee counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many boilermakers work in Tennessee?
BLS counted 180 boilermakers in Tennessee in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.83; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tennessee and metro areas, SOC 47-2011.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.