Career comparison
Industrial Maintenance Technician 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. $64,520), while industrial maintenance technicians usually get to work faster (1–4 years of training). Industrial maintenance technicians keep factory machinery running with mechanical, electrical and PLC troubleshooting. 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
| Industrial Maintenance Technician | Millwright | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $64,520 ($31.02/hr) | $65,700 ($31.59/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $46,120 – $95,170 | $46,290 – $93,600 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +17.8% (much faster than average) | +0.9% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 44,400 | 3,200 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 1–4 years | 4 years (apprenticeship) |
| Key credential | CMRT (SMRP) | Apprenticeship completion |
| Work setting | Technicians work in manufacturing plants, warehouses, food processing facilities and utilities. | Millwrights work in factories, power plants, mines and construction sites. |
What each job does
Industrial Maintenance Technician
- Perform preventive and predictive maintenance on equipment
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic problems
- Repair or replace bearings, belts, motors, pumps and gearboxes
- Read schematics, prints and PLC ladder logic
- Align shafts and adjust machinery
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, indoor work, and teamwork. Both are part of the mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose industrial maintenance technician if…
- I like figuring out how machines work and why they break
- I’m comfortable with both mechanical and electrical work
- I can stay calm when production is down
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 Industrial Maintenance Technician fit quiz and the Millwright fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, industrial maintenance technician or millwright?
Millwrights earn more at the median: $65,700 versus $64,520 for industrial maintenance technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Industrial Maintenance Technicians typically train faster (1–4 years) than millwrights (4 years (apprenticeship)).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects industrial maintenance technicians to grow +17.8% from 2025–35, compared with +0.9% for millwrights.