Millwrights
What Millwrights Do
Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Mechanicalimportance 4.8/5
- Mathematicsimportance 4.4/5
- Building and Constructionimportance 4.2/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.8/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.5/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.5/5
- English Languageimportance 3.4/5
- Designimportance 3.3/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.9/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.8/5
- Health and Safety of Other Workers4.7/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics94% skill match
- Rail Car Repairers94% skill match
- Pipelayers94% skill match
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers94% skill match
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas93% skill match
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers93% skill match
- Helpers--Electricians93% skill match
- Ship Engineers93% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Installationimportance 3.8/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.8/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.8/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.6/5
- Repairingimportance 3.6/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.4/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.3/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.3/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Stress Tolerance
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Confidence
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
- EnterprisingLow
- SocialLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where millwrights make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Decatur, IL14.81× national avg
- 2Longview-Kelso, WA7.13× national avg
- 3Lima, OH6.99× national avg
- 4Monroe, MI5.76× national avg
- 5Glens Falls, NY5.02× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersCareer Change
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesLateral Move
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersLateral Move
- Helpers--ElectriciansCareer Change
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.