MILLWRIGHT
Installs, aligns, maintains, and repairs heavy industrial machinery. Precision trade — your work is measured in thousandths. Texas is a right-to-work state — union density is lower than the national average, but licensed tradespeople still command solid wages on prevailing wage projects.
The License.
Check with Texas directly — licensing for millwrightvaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in Texas. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $20–$28/hr | $40,000 – $56,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $35–$55/hr | $70,000 – $110,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $64,310 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $92,760 |
Texas is a right-to-work state. Union scale in major Texas metros typically runs 10–20% above the national median on public projects with prevailing wage requirements; non-union pay can run 15–30% below union scale on private work.
The Path.
In Texas, apprenticeships are administered through the federal RAPIDS system via the U.S. Department of Labor. To find registered programs, go to apprenticeship.gov and filter by state. Most joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) also accept direct applications.
- · UBC (Carpenters — Millwright local)
The Exam.
Industrial trade licensing in Texas often falls under boiler, pressure vessel, or contractor rules. Confirm the applicable exam provider and code edition with the relevant board. Note: prevailing wage rules in Texas apply primarily to public projects — private-sector jobs in this right-to-work state are exempt.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01Heavy travel for major industrial shutdowns. 'Turnaround' work is feast-or-famine.
- 02Math-heavy. Tolerances are real — 0.001" matters here.
- 03Confined-space and lockout/tagout (LOTO) discipline is non-negotiable.
- 04Texas splits trade licensing between TDLR and TSBPE depending on the trade. Confirm which board governs your license before applying.
- 05Texas has no state-level general contractor license — municipalities handle it. If you're working in Houston, Dallas, or Austin, check city-specific requirements on top of your state license.