What Do Millwright Do?
Career Description Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
What Do Millwrights Do On a Daily Basis?
- Connect power unit to machines or steam piping to equipment, and test unit to evaluate its mechanical operation.
- Construct foundation for machines, using hand tools and building materials such as wood, cement, and steel.
- Dismantle machinery and equipment for shipment to installation site, usually performing installation and maintenance work as part of team.
- Bolt parts, such as side and deck plates, jaw plates, and journals, to basic assembly unit.
- Operate engine lathe to grind, file, and turn machine parts to dimensional specifications.
- Assemble machines, and bolt, weld, rivet, or otherwise fasten them to foundation or other structures, using hand tools and power tools.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Millwright?
These are the skills Millwrights say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Installation: Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Types of Millwright
- Machinery Rigger
- Manufacturer’s Service Representative
- Millwright Business Representative
- Automated Equipment Engineer-Technician
- Machine Set Up Operator
Is There Job Demand for Millwrights?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 39,500 jobs in the United States for Millwright. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,900 new jobs for Millwright by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,000 positions for Millwright per year.

The states with the most job growth for Millwright are Utah, Hawaii, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Vermont, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Millwrights Salary
The salary for Millwrights ranges between about $34,090 and $80,660 a year.

Millwrights who work in New Mexico, New Jersey, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Millwrights make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $46,500 |
Alaska | $61,300 |
Arizona | $61,360 |
Arkansas | $42,080 |
California | $71,350 |
Colorado | $53,510 |
Connecticut | $60,340 |
Delaware | $55,120 |
Florida | $48,250 |
Georgia | $45,440 |
Idaho | $57,360 |
Illinois | $63,260 |
Indiana | $54,240 |
Iowa | $51,220 |
Kansas | $50,200 |
Kentucky | $51,910 |
Louisiana | $58,380 |
Maine | $49,470 |
Maryland | $59,950 |
Massachusetts | $59,590 |
Michigan | $63,090 |
Minnesota | $52,890 |
Mississippi | $43,330 |
Missouri | $55,210 |
Montana | $44,300 |
Nebraska | $53,480 |
Nevada | $62,390 |
New Hampshire | $54,970 |
New Jersey | $67,860 |
New Mexico | $72,040 |
New York | $65,060 |
North Carolina | $47,670 |
North Dakota | $52,750 |
Ohio | $57,340 |
Oklahoma | $51,020 |
Oregon | $59,990 |
Pennsylvania | $57,000 |
South Carolina | $47,360 |
South Dakota | $54,690 |
Tennessee | $48,530 |
Texas | $52,850 |
Utah | $63,940 |
Vermont | $50,920 |
Virginia | $51,640 |
Washington | $63,120 |
West Virginia | $51,340 |
Wisconsin | $63,670 |
What Tools do Millwrights Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Millwrights:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- SAP
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
Becoming a Millwright
Are there Millwrights education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Millwrights?

Millwrights work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Millwright may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Margo Wright via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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