Millwright in Texas: Salary, License Requirements, and How to Start

Skilled trades

Texas employs 3,540 millwrights, with a statewide median of $62,630 and wide variation by city and experience. Here is the real wage data, the exact Texas licensing picture, and where to train.

What Millwrights Earn in Texas (May 2025)

Texas median pay: $62,630 (May 2025)
Starting range (10th percentile): $38,510
Experienced (75th percentile): $75,670
Top earners (90th percentile): $92,490
Employed in Texas: 3,540
U.S. median (for comparison): $65,110 (May 2024)

Wages vary substantially by metro. Median annual pay for millwrights in major Texas markets:

Dallas–Fort Worth: $65,500 (640 employed)
San Antonio: $59,400 (240 employed)
El Paso: $53,020 (120 employed)

What That Pay Is Worth in Texas

Prices in Texas run about 3% below the national average (cost-of-living index 97.1 vs a U.S. baseline of 100, 2024), so the $62,630 median stretches to roughly $64,501 in national buying-power terms.

Job Outlook in Texas (2024–2034)

Texas is projected to grow millwrights employment +5.0%, faster than the +0.0% projected nationally. The state expects about 300 openings a year, counting both growth and workers who retire or move on.

Texas License and Certification Requirements

IAMAW Journeyman Millwright (apprenticeship credential — no state license) — regulated by the No Texas state license required for millwrights.

Texas does not require a state license for millwrights. The entry path is an IAMAW (International Association of Machinists) or UBC (United Brotherhood of Carpenters — Millwright Council) Joint Apprenticeship: 4–5 years, approximately 8,000 OJT hours, covering machinery installation, precision alignment, hydraulics, pneumatics, and rigging.
Complete millwright-specific training in blueprint reading, precision measurement (to 0.001" tolerance), welding fundamentals, and industrial bearing/coupling/gearbox maintenance. Many programs also certify in OSHA 30 and rigging.
Apply directly to manufacturing plants, paper/pulp mills, food processing facilities, power plants, and industrial contractors. Millwrights are typically dispatched through local union hiring halls for project work.

Official requirements: No Texas state license required for millwrights →

Training in Texas

Contact IAMAW District 776 (Fort Worth) or contact goiam.org / carpenters.org for your local for apprenticeship application timing. Millwright work is project-based — heavy manufacturing and industrial expansion in Texas drives the strongest demand cycles.

Real training providers and registered apprenticeships in Texas include:

Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas — Certificate
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Houston — Certificate
El Paso Community College — Certificate
Grayson College — Certificate

Is This the Right Move for You?

Best for: People who like mechanical puzzles, want solid union wages, and are comfortable with industrial environments.

Think twice if: Heavy lifting, industrial noise, and working around large moving machinery sounds miserable rather than interesting.

Why it's resilient: Millwrights install and maintain industrial machinery — precision mechanical work that requires on-site problem solving in manufacturing plants and facilities.

First Steps

Contact the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) Millwright division or check local industrial union apprenticeship openings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do millwrights make in Texas?

The median wage for millwrights in Texas is $62,630 per year (May 2025, BLS). Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $38,510, and top earners (90th percentile) make about $92,490. Pay varies by metro and years of experience.

What license or certification do you need to become a Millwright in Texas?

IAMAW Journeyman Millwright (apprenticeship credential — no state license), overseen by the No Texas state license required for millwrights. Texas does not require a state license for millwrights. The entry path is an IAMAW (International Association of Machinists) or UBC (United Brotherhood of Carpenters — Millwright Council) Joint Apprenticeship: 4–5 years, approximately 8,000 OJT hours, covering machinery installation, precision alignment, hydraulics, pneumatics, and rigging.

Is being a Millwright a good career in Texas?

Millwrights install and maintain industrial machinery — precision mechanical work that requires on-site problem solving in manufacturing plants and facilities.

Which Texas metros pay millwrights the most?

Among Texas metro areas, Dallas–Fort Worth leads at $65,500, followed by San Antonio ($59,400), El Paso ($53,020). Local pay tracks regional demand and cost of living, so the highest-paying metro isn't always the best net move.

Where can I train to become a Millwright in Texas?

Real Texas options include Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Houston, El Paso Community College. Most millwrights start with an accredited program, then earn the credential the state or employer requires.

Is Millwright a growing career in Texas?

Texas projects millwrights employment to change +5.0% from 2024 to 2034, with about 300 openings a year — a growing field in the state.

Sources and Verification

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Texas statewide and metro estimates for SOC 49-9044. Licensing summary compiled from the No Texas state license required for millwrights (2026-06-11). Requirements change — always confirm current rules with the board and verify program costs and outcomes before enrolling.

BLS Occupational Outlook · O*NET Texas wages · Texas licensing/certification source

Employment projections: Projections Central / BLS Employment Projections (2024–2034); Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities.

Pay percentiles describe current workers, not entry-level offers; training costs and local demand vary, so verify locally before committing money or quitting a job.