Boilermaker salary in Washington
Median $45.77 an hour for 190 boilermakers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Boilermaker pay in Washington: the full range
Washington ranks 8th of 37 states for median boilermaker pay, and 13th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $42.78). 190 boilermakers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $29.93 – $34.37 | $62,260 – $71,500 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $34.37 – $56.27 | $71,500 – $117,040 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $56.27 – $61.08 | $117,040 – $127,040 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Boilermaker wages in Washington over time
Table
| Year | Washington $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $19.33 | $37.35 | $18.09 | 350 |
| 2000 | $24.67 | $46.12 | $17.80 | 350 |
| 2001 | $24.98 | $45.41 | $19.06 | 290 |
| 2002 | $25.79 | $46.15 | $20.17 | 350 |
| 2003 | $25.60 | $44.79 | $20.79 | 260 |
| 2004 | $22.12 | $37.70 | $21.68 | 220 |
| 2005 | $22.54 | $37.16 | $23.10 | 270 |
| 2006 | $22.60 | $36.09 | $22.58 | 310 |
| 2007 | $22.63 | $35.14 | $24.38 | 290 |
| 2008 | $25.03 | $37.43 | $25.13 | 340 |
| 2009 | $24.78 | $37.19 | $26.97 | 340 |
| 2010 | $26.44 | $39.04 | $26.27 | 320 |
| 2011 | $23.00 | $32.92 | $27.36 | 390 |
| 2012 | $23.00 | $32.25 | $27.19 | 340 |
| 2013 | $21.67 | $29.95 | $27.74 | 380 |
| 2014 | $26.48 | $36.01 | $28.78 | 300 |
| 2015 | $27.24 | $37.00 | $28.90 | 320 |
| 2016 | $28.15 | $37.76 | $29.84 | 260 |
| 2017 | $29.13 | $38.26 | $29.93 | 220 |
| 2018 | $30.07 | $38.55 | $29.88 | — |
| 2019 | $32.58 | $41.03 | $30.34 | — |
| 2020 | $32.16 | $40.00 | $31.42 | — |
| 2021 | $37.13 | $44.11 | $30.91 | 190 |
| 2022 | $41.04 | $45.15 | $32.17 | 210 |
| 2023 | $43.19 | $45.63 | $34.20 | 140 |
| 2024 | $54.80 | $56.24 | $35.26 | 150 |
| 2025 | $45.77 | $45.77 | $36.74 | 190 |
In today's dollars, the median boilermaker wage in Washington changed by +23.7% over the last ten years of data and by +11.6% since 2019.
Are there more boilermaker jobs in Washington?
BLS counted 190 boilermakers in Washington in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 9%. 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 Washington
Washington's labor market agency projects the number of boilermakers in the state to change by -1.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 150 to 150, with about 10 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects -1.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 190 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for boilermakers in Washington
On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay boilermakers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 2 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $76.39). 2 of the 2 counties still use a survey rate dated 2001 or earlier (for example Benton County at $76.39). The market median for the state is $45.77.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | Survey SUWA2001-001 2001-09-03 | $43.83 | $32.56 | $76.39 | WA20260002 |
| Franklin | Survey SUWA2001-001 2001-09-03 | $43.83 | $32.56 | $76.39 | WA20260002 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Washington prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Washington?
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 34 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 103,575 in 2015 to 131,891 in 2025, +27.3%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King County | 3,686 | 43,001 | $99,762 | $1,919 |
| Cowlitz County | 267 | 2,630 | $97,790 | $1,881 |
| Skagit County | 352 | 2,570 | $91,962 | $1,769 |
| Whatcom County | 492 | 4,315 | $87,963 | $1,692 |
| Chelan County | 288 | 1,502 | $84,463 | $1,624 |
| Thurston County | 612 | 3,935 | $82,188 | $1,581 |
| Asotin County | 44 | 308 | $80,442 | $1,547 |
| Pierce County | 1,918 | 15,353 | $79,740 | $1,533 |
| Snohomish County | 2,312 | 17,374 | $79,367 | $1,526 |
| Benton County | 503 | 4,809 | $78,506 | $1,510 |
| Clark County | 1,362 | 10,966 | $76,418 | $1,470 |
| Kittitas County | 142 | 868 | $76,417 | $1,470 |
| Franklin County | 299 | 2,259 | $75,748 | $1,457 |
| Grays Harbor County | 112 | 680 | $72,692 | $1,398 |
| Spokane County | 1,302 | 8,828 | $71,677 | $1,378 |
| Kitsap County | 509 | 2,811 | $71,614 | $1,377 |
| Grant County | 186 | 913 | $71,120 | $1,368 |
| Walla Walla County | 124 | 891 | $69,910 | $1,344 |
| Island County | 198 | 742 | $67,113 | $1,291 |
| Lewis County | 174 | 743 | $66,881 | $1,286 |
| Whitman County | 54 | 346 | $65,522 | $1,260 |
| Adams County | 24 | 74 | $64,368 | $1,238 |
| Clallam County | 215 | 802 | $64,311 | $1,237 |
| Lincoln County | 28 | 175 | $63,501 | $1,221 |
| Yakima County | 516 | 2,603 | $62,508 | $1,202 |
| Jefferson County | 84 | 325 | $61,693 | $1,186 |
| San Juan County | 109 | 342 | $61,367 | $1,180 |
| Pacific County | 36 | 140 | $56,949 | $1,095 |
| Okanogan County | 112 | 292 | $56,944 | $1,095 |
| Douglas County | 144 | 437 | $55,299 | $1,063 |
| Klickitat County | 49 | 100 | $54,099 | $1,040 |
| Pend Oreille County | 42 | 89 | $53,625 | $1,031 |
| Mason County | 110 | 366 | $52,887 | $1,017 |
| Stevens County | 79 | 302 | $51,279 | $986 |
| Columbia County | — | — | — | — |
| Ferry County | — | — | — | — |
| Skamania County | — | — | — | — |
| Wahkiakum County | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Boilermaker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Washington
More on Washington
Questions this page answers
How much do boilermakers make in Washington?
The median boilermaker in Washington earned $45.77 an hour ($95,200 a year) in May 2025, 25% above the national median of $36.74. The middle half earn $34.37–$56.27; the top 10% earn more than $61.08.
Where does Washington rank for boilermaker pay?
Washington ranks 8th of 37 states for boilermaker pay, with a median of $45.77 an hour, and 13th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).
What is the union boilermaker rate in Washington?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a boilermaker classification for most Washington counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many boilermakers work in Washington?
BLS counted 190 boilermakers in Washington in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.83; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is boilermaker work growing in Washington?
Washington's labor market agency projects -1.3% growth for boilermakers between 2024 and 2034, from 150 to 150 jobs.
How many boilermaker openings a year are there in Washington?
Washington projects about 10 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, Washington 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.