Millwright
01
Install the machines that make American products
Millwrights install, dismantle, move, and repair heavy industrial machinery in factories, mills, power plants, and construction sites. You will read blueprints, rig and lift equipment into place, align it to exact measurements, and keep it running.
Most millwrights learn through a four-year apprenticeship that combines paid on-the-job training with technical instruction. When a plant builds a new line or retools an old one, millwrights are the crew that gets the machines in and running.
02
What it takes to build the trade
- Rigging and lifting.
- Using cranes, hoists, and jacks to move machinery that weighs tons.
- Precision alignment.
- Leveling and aligning shafts, gears, and conveyors with lasers and dial indicators.
- Blueprint reading.
- Following equipment drawings and specifications to install machines correctly.
- Mechanical repair.
- Diagnosing worn bearings, belts, and gearboxes before they shut a line down.
03
The numbers behind the opportunity
National figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, experience, and employer.
- $65,700
- Median annual wage, May 2025
- 3,200
- Projected openings each year, 2025–35
- 0.9%
- Projected employment growth, 2025–35
See where you stand
Take our skills assessment or upload your resume to see how your strengths map to a career in the trades.
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