Millwrights

Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.

Most important skills

Installation
Equipment Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Critical Thinking
Operations Monitoring
Repairing
Operation and Control
Quality Control Analysis

Key knowledge

Mechanical
Mathematics
Building and Construction
Education and Training
Engineering and Technology
Public Safety and Security
English Language
Design

What the work involves

Replace defective parts of machine, or adjust clearances and alignment of moving parts.
Connect power unit to machines or steam piping to equipment, and test unit to evaluate its mechanical operation.
Assemble and install equipment, using hand tools and power tools.
Position steel beams to support bedplates of machines and equipment, using blueprints and schematic drawings to determine work procedures.
Signal crane operator to lower basic assembly units to bedplate, and align unit to centerline.
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.
Move machinery and equipment, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks.
Attach moving parts and subassemblies to basic assembly unit, using hand tools and power tools.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (45.5% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (27.3%)
On-the-job training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (38.1%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Millwrights is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Moderate	Higher on contact with others than 52% of occupations compared	64% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others”
Dealing with the public	Low	Lower on dealing with the public than 75% of occupations compared	41% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly important”
Teamwork	Very high	Higher on teamwork than 84% of occupations compared	68% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important”
Freedom to make decisions	Very low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 84% of occupations compared	41% of surveyed respondents chose “Limited freedom”
Time pressure	Very high	Higher on time pressure than 94% of occupations compared	68% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day”
Conflict situations	High	Higher on conflict situations than 65% of occupations compared	36% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Moderate	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 51% of occupations compared	45% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Consequence of error	Very high	Higher on consequence of error than 96% of occupations compared	59% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very high
Conflict situations: high
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
Consequence of error: very high

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions