Millwrights
Also called: Automated Equipment Engineer, Automated 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 Millwright, Gear Repairer, Industrial Machine Assembler
Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
What millwrights do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Level bedplate and establish centerline, using straightedge, levels, and transit.
- Dismantle machines, using hammers, wrenches, crowbars, and other hand tools.
- Bolt parts, such as side and deck plates, jaw plates, and journals, to basic assembly unit.
- Lay out mounting holes, using measuring instruments, and drill holes with power drill.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Millwrights salary
The median annual wage for millwrights is $65,700 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $46,290 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $93,600. The mean annual wage is $69,780.
The mean hourly wage of $33.00 is 4.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Millwrights (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $65,700 → in 3 years $71,900 → in 5 years $76,300 → in 10 years $88,600 (10-year range $76,200–$102,900). The model assumes pay growth of +3.0% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Millwrights
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Millwrights? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Millwrights
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Millwrights
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become millwrights
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as millwrights
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.