What is the best city for boilermakers?

After cost of living, the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area: the median of $135,290 a year buys about what $117,020 would at average U.S. prices.

Which city pays boilermakers the most?

Before adjusting for prices, the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area has the highest median, $135,290. After cost of living it ranks 1st of 14.

Where does boilermaker pay go the least far?

Of the 14 metro areas ranked, the Knoxville, TN area, where the median of $51,430 buys about what $55,560 would nationally.

Which cities are included?

The 14 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for boilermakers and at least 50 of them work. Smaller metros and rural areas are on each state's boilermaker pay page.

How is cost of living adjusted?

We divide each metro's median by its Regional Price Parity from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), where the U.S. average is 100. A metro with prices 10% above average (110) has its median divided by 1.10.

Best-paying cities for boilermakers

Updated September 27, 2026

After adjusting for cost of living, the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area is the best-paying metro for boilermakers: its median of $135,290 a year buys what $117,020 would nationally, according to May 2025 BLS wages and BEA 2024 price levels. It also has the highest pay before adjusting.

Boilermaker pay by metro area, after cost of living

#	Metro area	After cost of living	Median pay	Price level	Jobs
1	San Francisco–Oakland–FremontCA · $135,290 median · prices 115.6	$117,020	$135,290	115.6	50
2	Chicago–Naperville–ElginIL-IN · $109,640 median · prices 103.6	$105,840	$109,640	103.6	90
3	Los Angeles–Long Beach–AnaheimCA · $110,370 median · prices 113.6	$97,190	$110,370	113.6	320
4	PittsburghPA · $91,420 median · prices 94.7	$96,570	$91,420	94.7	100
5	Philadelphia–Camden–WilmingtonPA-NJ-DE-MD · $86,910 median · prices 102.6	$84,750	$86,910	102.6	140
6	New Orleans–MetairieLA · $77,290 median · prices 92.6	$83,470	$77,290	92.6	120
7	Baton RougeLA · $74,730 median · prices 90.8	$82,320	$74,730	90.8	680
8	Beaumont–Port ArthurTX · $73,060 median · prices 90.0	$81,140	$73,060	90.0	230
9	LafayetteLA · $70,720 median · prices 87.2	$81,090	$70,720	87.2	110
10	Houston–Pasadena–The WoodlandsTX · $77,090 median · prices 98.6	$78,160	$77,090	98.6	1,170
11	New York–Newark–Jersey CityNY-NJ · $82,420 median · prices 112.6	$73,220	$82,420	112.6	330
12	Virginia Beach–Chesapeake–NorfolkVA-NC · $68,350 median · prices 97.9	$69,790	$68,350	97.9	90
13	Corpus ChristiTX · $64,660 median · prices 92.7	$69,770	$64,660	92.7	170
14	KnoxvilleTN · $51,430 median · prices 92.6	$55,560	$51,430	92.6	50

Price level: BEA Regional Price Parity, U.S. average = 100. Every metro links to its full boilermaker pay page. By state: best states for boilermakers.

How we ranked them

Each metro area's median annual wage for boilermakers (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2011) divided by its Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (all items, U.S. = 100), then ranked. Metros are included when BLS publishes a median and at least 50 boilermakers work there. Wages exclude self-employed boilermakers. Methodology

Questions

What is the best city for boilermakers?: After cost of living, the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area: the median of $135,290 a year buys about what $117,020 would at average U.S. prices.
Which city pays boilermakers the most?: Before adjusting for prices, the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area has the highest median, $135,290. After cost of living it ranks 1st of 14.
Where does boilermaker pay go the least far?: Of the 14 metro areas ranked, the Knoxville, TN area, where the median of $51,430 buys about what $55,560 would nationally.
Which cities are included?: The 14 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for boilermakers and at least 50 of them work. Smaller metros and rural areas are on each state's boilermaker pay page.
How is cost of living adjusted?: We divide each metro's median by its Regional Price Parity from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), where the U.S. average is 100. A metro with prices 10% above average (110) has its median divided by 1.10.