How to become a millwright
Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
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.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Active Learning
Is millwright a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 29% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- New Jersey $107,540
- New Mexico $90,230
- Michigan $89,190
- Wisconsin $82,630
- Colorado $81,440
Millwrights salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.