Skilled Wages

Millwright salary in Illinois

Median $32.04 an hour for 2,160 millwrights, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$32.04/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$66,640/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.39 – $50.9310th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,160Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Millwright pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIllinois: 10th $21.39 · 25th $23.86 · median $32.04 · 75th $40.94 · 90th $50.93Illinois$32.04$21.39$50.93United States: 10th $22.25 · 25th $27.11 · median $31.59 · 75th $39.18 · 90th $45.00United States$31.59
Hourly wage percentiles for millwrights: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 20th of 48 states for median millwright pay, and 32nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.04). 2,160 millwrights work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.39 – $23.86$44,490 – $49,620roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.86 – $40.94$49,620 – $85,150the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.94 – $50.93$85,150 – $105,940the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Millwright pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrChicago: $35.93Chicago$35.93Rockford: $32.00Rockford$32.00St. Louis: $31.96St. Louis$31.96Decatur: $30.38Decatur$30.38Peoria: $29.74Peoria$29.74Davenport: $29.45Davenport$29.45Cape Girardeau: $28.97Cape Girardeau$28.97
Median hourly wage for millwrights by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Chicago$23.19$35.93$34.68$55.091,49012% above
Rockford$19.00$32.00$34.71$40.2360about the same as
St. Louis$22.54$31.96$33.61$45.51420about the same as
Decatur$29.46$30.38$34.37$38.201805% below
Peoria$19.33$29.74$32.61$41.16607% below
Davenport$18.88$29.45$33.05$40.03808% below
Cape Girardeau$22.66$28.97$33.65$47.283010% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Millwright wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$32.04Illinois$31.59United States
Median hourly wage for millwrights, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.83$38.32$18.763,240
2000$19.44$36.34$19.333,580
2001$21.13$38.41$20.182,810
2002$21.42$38.33$20.192,330
2003$21.83$38.20$20.382,430
2004$24.34$41.48$21.021,810
2005$24.12$39.76$21.531,810
2006$26.29$41.98$21.942,090
2007$31.80$49.38$22.161,500
2008$31.45$47.03$22.871,440
2009$27.70$41.57$23.141,420
2010$26.80$39.57$23.251,180
2011$29.74$42.57$23.691,170
2012$31.51$44.18$23.80980
2013$26.00$35.93$24.051,280
2014$24.49$33.30$24.261,500
2015$23.80$32.33$24.711,570
2016$25.17$33.76$25.211,270
2017$30.91$40.60$25.95—
2018$32.48$41.64$26.471,850
2019$31.25$39.35$26.712,410
2020$31.74$39.48$27.532,170
2021$37.70$44.79$29.002,250
2022$29.16$32.08$29.293,120
2023$35.17$37.16$30.282,380
2024$36.30$37.26$31.331,850
2025$32.04$32.04$31.592,160

In today's dollars, the median millwright wage in Illinois changed by -0.9% over the last ten years of data and by -18.6% since 2019.

Are there more millwright jobs in Illinois?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.4× the US share, 21st of 47 states

BLS counted 2,160 millwrights in Illinois in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for millwrights in Illinois

+0.1%Projected growth in Illinois2024–2034, state agency
160Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,860Jobs in 20241,860 projected for 2034
+0.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Illinois's labor market agency projects the number of millwrights in the state to change by +0.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,860 to 1,860, with about 160 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +0.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 2,160 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Illinois labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for millwrights in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay millwrights at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 91 of the 91 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $84.50 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $32.04.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $84.50 (union)Alexander: $63.10 (union)Bond: $84.50 (union)Boone: $84.50 (union)Brown: $84.50 (union)Bureau: $84.50 (union)Calhoun: $84.50 (union)Carroll: $84.50 (union)Cass: $84.50 (union)Champaign: $63.10 (union)Christian: $63.10 (union)Clark: $63.10 (union)Clay: $63.10 (union)Clinton: $84.50 (union)Coles: $63.10 (union)Cook: n/aCrawford: $63.10 (union)Cumberland: $63.10 (union)DeKalb: $84.50 (union)De Witt: $63.10 (union)Douglas: $63.10 (union)DuPage: n/aEdgar: $63.10 (union)Edwards: $63.10 (union)Effingham: $63.10 (union)Fayette: $63.10 (union)Ford: $63.10 (union)Franklin: $63.10 (union)Fulton: $84.50 (union)Gallatin: $63.10 (union)Greene: $84.50 (union)Grundy: n/aHamilton: $63.10 (union)Hancock: $84.50 (union)Hardin: $63.10 (union)Henderson: $84.50 (union)Henry: $84.50 (union)Iroquois: $63.10 (union)Jackson: $63.10 (union)Jasper: $63.10 (union)Jefferson: $63.10 (union)Jersey: $84.50 (union)Jo Daviess: $84.50 (union)Johnson: $63.10 (union)Kane: n/aKankakee: n/aKendall: n/aKnox: $84.50 (union)Lake: n/aLaSalle: $84.50 (union)Lawrence: $63.10 (union)Lee: $84.50 (union)Livingston: $84.50 (union)Logan: $84.50 (union)McDonough: $84.50 (union)McHenry: n/aMcLean: $84.50 (union)Macon: $62.42 (union)Macoupin: $84.50 (union)Madison: n/aMarion: $63.10 (union)Marshall: $84.50 (union)Mason: $84.50 (union)Massac: $63.10 (union)Menard: $84.50 (union)Mercer: $84.50 (union)Monroe: $84.50 (union)Montgomery: $84.50 (union)Morgan: $84.50 (union)Moultrie: $63.10 (union)Ogle: $84.50 (union)Peoria: $63.03 (union)Perry: $63.10 (union)Piatt: $63.10 (union)Pike: $84.50 (union)Pope: $63.10 (union)Pulaski: $63.10 (union)Putnam: $84.50 (union)Randolph: $84.50 (union)Richland: $63.10 (union)Rock Island: $84.50 (union)St. Clair: n/aSaline: $63.10 (union)Sangamon: $62.42 (union)Schuyler: $84.50 (union)Scott: $84.50 (union)Shelby: $63.10 (union)Stark: $84.50 (union)Stephenson: $84.50 (union)Tazewell: $63.03 (union)Union: $63.10 (union)Vermilion: $63.10 (union)Wabash: $63.10 (union)Warren: $84.50 (union)Washington: $84.50 (union)Wayne: $63.10 (union)White: $63.10 (union)Whiteside: $84.50 (union)Will: n/aWilliamson: $63.10 (union)Winnebago: $84.50 (union)Woodford: $84.50 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$63.10n/a
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for millwrights by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$40$60$80$100/hrHenry (Davenport): market median $29.45, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$55.05Henry (Davenport)+$55.05Marshall (Peoria): market median $29.74, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$54.76Marshall (Peoria)+$54.76Bond (St. Louis): market median $31.96, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$52.54Bond (St. Louis)+$52.54Boone (Rockford): market median $32.00, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$52.50Boone (Rockford)+$52.50McLean (Illinois): market median $32.04, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$52.46McLean (Illinois)+$52.46DeKalb (Chicago): market median $35.93, prevailing (union) $84.50, gap +$48.57DeKalb (Chicago)+$48.57Alexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $28.97, prevailing (union) $63.10, gap +$34.13Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$34.13Macon (Decatur): market median $30.38, prevailing (union) $62.42, gap +$32.04Macon (Decatur)+$32.04
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for millwrights, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
BondUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
BooneUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
BrownUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
BureauUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
CalhounUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
CarrollUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
CassUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
ClintonUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
DeKalbUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
FultonUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
GreeneUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
HancockUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
HendersonUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001
HenryUnion CARP2158-001 2025-06-01$51.81$32.69$84.50IL20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Illinois prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Illinois?

268.8kConstruction jobsIllinois, 2026-09
+6.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025269kSep 2026
Construction employment in Illinois (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Millwright pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

More on Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do millwrights make in Illinois?

The median millwright in Illinois earned $32.04 an hour ($66,640 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $31.59. The middle half earn $23.86–$40.94; the top 10% earn more than $50.93.

Where does Illinois rank for millwright pay?

Illinois ranks 20th of 48 states for millwright pay, with a median of $32.04 an hour, and 32nd after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union millwright rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for millwrights in 91 counties, with a typical package of $84.50 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many millwrights work in Illinois?

BLS counted 2,160 millwrights in Illinois in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.37; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is millwright work growing in Illinois?

Illinois's labor market agency projects +0.1% growth for millwrights between 2024 and 2034, from 1,860 to 1,860 jobs.

How many millwright openings a year are there in Illinois?

Illinois projects about 160 openings a year for millwrights over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 3,200 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 49-9044. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Illinois labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.