Occupation salary profile

Millwrights

SOC 49-9044 BLS OEWS May 2025

Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.

National median · BLS
$65,700
▲ +0.81% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$69,780
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
40,330
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Millwrights

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$46,290
25th$56,390
Median (50th)$65,700
75th$81,500
90th — top pay$93,600

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Millwrights

BLS projects employment of millwrights to grow 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 3,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
40,700 → 41,000
+400 jobs
Projected change
+0.9%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Apprenticeship
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Millwrights

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Equipment Maintenance3.8
  • Installation3.8
  • Troubleshooting3.8
  • Critical Thinking3.6
  • Operations Monitoring3.6
  • Repairing3.6
  • Operation and Control3.4
  • Quality Control Analysis3.3
  • Time Management3.3
  • Active Listening3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Mechanical4.8
  • Mathematics4.4
  • Building and Construction4.2
  • Education and Training3.8
  • Engineering and Technology3.5
  • Public Safety and Security3.5
  • English Language3.4
  • Design3.3
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCADDassault Systemes SolidWorksMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordSAP software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What millwrights do

  • Replace defective parts of machine, or adjust clearances and alignment of moving parts.
  • Align machines or equipment, using hoists, jacks, hand tools, squares, rules, micrometers, lasers, or plumb bobs.
  • Insert shims, adjust tension on nuts and bolts, or position parts, using hand tools and measuring instruments, to set specified clearances between moving and stationary parts.
  • Signal crane operator to lower basic assembly units to bedplate, and align unit to centerline.
  • Conduct preventative maintenance and repair, and lubricate machines and equipment.
  • Assemble and install equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Assemble machines, and bolt, weld, rivet, or otherwise fasten them to foundation or other structures, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Move machinery and equipment, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks.
Also called
Maintenance MillwrightMillwrightMillwright ForemanMillwright InstructorMaintenance MechanicMillwright Business Representative (Millwright Business Rep)Millwright General ForemanPrecision Millwright
More job titles for this occupation (29)
Automated Equipment EngineerAutomated Equipment Engineering Technician (Automated Equipment Engineering Tech)Automated Equipment Technician (Automated Equipment Tech)Automobile Equipment Engineer Technician (Auto Equipment Engineer Tech)Automobile Equipment Technician Engineer (Auto Equipment Tech Engineer)Construction MillwrightGear RepairerIndustrial Machine AssemblerIndustrial MillwrightInstallation Service Representative (Installation Service Rep)Journeyman MillwrightMachine ErectorMachine InstallerMachine MoverMachine RiggerMachine Set Up Operator (Machine Set Up Op)Machine SetterMachinery DismantlerMachinery ErectorMachinery MoverMachinery RiggerManufacturer's Service Representative (Manufacturer's Service Rep)Manufacturing MillwrightMechanicMillwright ApprenticeMillwright HelperMillwright MechanicMoverPlant Changer

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.