Career comparison
Heavy Equipment Mechanic vs. Millwright
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Millwrights earn more at the median ($65,700 vs. $65,510), while heavy equipment mechanics usually get to work faster (1–2 years of training). Heavy equipment mechanics keep bulldozers, excavators, loaders and cranes working on job sites and in shops. Millwrights install, align and maintain the heavy machinery in factories, plants and power stations.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Millwright | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $65,510 ($31.50/hr) | $65,700 ($31.59/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $46,820 – $94,460 | $46,290 – $93,600 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +6.7% (faster than average) | +0.9% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 15,000 | 3,200 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 1–2 years | 4 years (apprenticeship) |
| Key credential | Dealer technician program credentials | Apprenticeship completion |
| Work setting | Mechanics work in dealership and fleet shops and outdoors at construction, mining and forestry sites in all weather. | Millwrights work in factories, power plants, mines and construction sites. |
What each job does
Heavy Equipment Mechanic
- Perform preventive maintenance and inspections
- Diagnose hydraulic, electrical and engine problems
- Repair and rebuild pumps, cylinders and transmissions
- Replace undercarriage components such as tracks and rollers
- Use diagnostic software to read fault codes
Millwright
- Read blueprints and installation drawings
- Rig, move and set heavy machinery
- Level and anchor equipment to foundations
- Align shafts and couplings with precision tools
- Install and repair conveyors, pumps and gearboxes
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, problem-solving, physical work, and travel. Both are part of the mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose heavy equipment mechanic if…
- I like big machines
- I enjoy troubleshooting hydraulics and engines
- I don’t mind getting dirty
Choose millwright if…
- I like big machines and precise work
- I enjoy measuring and aligning things exactly
- I can handle heavy, physical work
Still torn? Take the Heavy Equipment Mechanic fit quiz and the Millwright fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, heavy equipment mechanic or millwright?
Millwrights earn more at the median: $65,700 versus $65,510 for heavy equipment mechanics, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Heavy Equipment Mechanics typically train faster (1–2 years) than millwrights (4 years (apprenticeship)).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects heavy equipment mechanics to grow +6.7% from 2025–35, compared with +0.9% for millwrights.