Millwrights vs Heavy Equipment Mechanics
Median pay is about the same for both. The usual entry education is apprenticeship for Millwrights and high school for Heavy Equipment Mechanics.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Millwrights | Heavy Equipment Mechanics |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $65,700, higher | $65,510 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $56,390 | $56,970, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $81,500, higher | $79,270 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +0.9% Stable | +6.7% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 3,200 | 15,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Apprenticeship | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.4 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 2nd pct | 7th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Millwrights
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
Only Heavy Equipment Mechanics
- Writing
- Active Learning
Both lean on critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Millwrights with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.