Skilled Wages

Millwright salary in Iowa

Median $29.91 an hour for 690 millwrights, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$29.91/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$62,220/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.62 – $38.3210th to 90th percentilehourly range
690Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Millwright pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$30$40$50/hrIowa: 10th $22.62 · 25th $26.91 · median $29.91 · 75th $36.20 · 90th $38.32Iowa$29.91$22.62$38.32United States: 10th $22.25 · 25th $27.11 · median $31.59 · 75th $39.18 · 90th $45.00United States$31.59
Hourly wage percentiles for millwrights: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 33rd of 48 states for median millwright pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.07). 690 millwrights work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.62 – $26.91$47,050 – $55,980roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$26.91 – $36.20$55,980 – $75,290the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$36.20 – $38.32$75,290 – $79,710the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Millwright pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrDes Moines: $30.74Des Moines$30.74Omaha: $30.27Omaha$30.27Sioux City: $30.03Sioux City$30.03Davenport: $29.45Davenport$29.45Cedar Rapids: $29.28Cedar Rapids$29.28
Median hourly wage for millwrights by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Des Moines$23.22$30.74$37.471003% above
Omaha$22.84$30.27$37.912301% above
Sioux City$23.66$30.03$36.9040about the same as
Davenport$18.88$29.45$40.03802% below
Cedar Rapids$24.28$29.28$37.61602% below

Millwright wages in Iowa over time

Iowa, 1999-2025IowaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$31.59United States$29.91Iowa
Median hourly wage for millwrights, Iowa vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIowa $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.33$35.42$18.76990
2000$18.33$34.27$19.33950
2001$17.18$31.23$20.18700
2002$19.94$35.68$20.19—
2003$20.28$35.48$20.38—
2004$19.63$33.46$21.02790
2005$18.23$30.05$21.53670
2006$19.93$31.83$21.94610
2007$18.66$28.97$22.16640
2008$19.16$28.65$22.871,140
2009$19.54$29.32$23.141,090
2010$20.53$30.31$23.25840
2011$21.48$30.74$23.69860
2012$21.43$30.05$23.80930
2013$20.93$28.92$24.051,060
2014$22.21$30.20$24.261,310
2015$23.19$31.50$24.711,510
2016$25.94$34.80$25.211,150
2017$25.93$34.06$25.951,050
2018$24.96$32.00$26.471,280
2019$25.14$31.66$26.711,310
2020$24.87$30.94$27.531,220
2021$28.83$34.25$29.00980
2022$28.16$30.98$29.29760
2023$29.42$31.08$30.28600
2024$30.44$31.24$31.33920
2025$29.91$29.91$31.59690

In today's dollars, the median millwright wage in Iowa changed by -5.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for millwrights in Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay millwrights at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 26 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $65.65 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $63.98). The market median for the state is $29.91.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: —Adams: —Allamakee: —Appanoose: $63.98 (survey)Audubon: —Benton: $65.65 (union)Black Hawk: —Boone: —Bremer: —Buchanan: —Buena Vista: —Butler: —Calhoun: —Carroll: —Cass: —Cedar: $63.98 (survey)Cerro Gordo: —Cherokee: —Chickasaw: —Clarke: —Clay: —Clayton: —Clinton: $63.98 (survey)Crawford: —Dallas: —Davis: $63.98 (survey)Decatur: —Delaware: —Des Moines: $63.98 (survey)Dickinson: —Dubuque: $65.65 (union)Emmet: —Fayette: —Floyd: —Franklin: —Fremont: —Greene: —Grundy: —Guthrie: —Hamilton: —Hancock: —Hardin: —Harrison: —Henry: $63.98 (survey)Howard: —Humboldt: —Ida: —Iowa: $63.98 (survey)Jackson: $63.98 (survey)Jasper: $63.98 (survey)Jefferson: $63.98 (survey)Johnson: —Jones: $65.65 (union)Keokuk: $63.98 (survey)Kossuth: —Lee: $63.98 (survey)Linn: $65.65 (union)Louisa: $63.98 (survey)Lucas: —Lyon: —Madison: —Mahaska: $63.98 (survey)Marion: $63.98 (survey)Marshall: $63.98 (survey)Mills: —Mitchell: —Monona: —Monroe: $63.98 (survey)Montgomery: —Muscatine: $69.20 (union)O'Brien: —Osceola: —Page: —Palo Alto: —Plymouth: —Pocahontas: —Polk: —Pottawattamie: —Poweshiek: $63.98 (survey)Ringgold: —Sac: —Scott: —Shelby: —Sioux: —Story: —Tama: $63.98 (survey)Taylor: —Union: —Van Buren: $63.98 (survey)Wapello: $63.98 (survey)Warren: —Washington: —Wayne: —Webster: —Winnebago: —Winneshiek: —Woodbury: —Worth: —Wright: —Union / prevailing package, $/hrn/asurvey rate
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)Prevailing (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrBenton (Cedar Rapids): market median $29.28, prevailing (union) $65.65, gap +$36.37Benton (Cedar Rapids)+$36.37Dubuque (Iowa): market median $29.91, prevailing (union) $65.65, gap +$35.74Dubuque (Iowa)+$35.74Jasper (Des Moines): market median $30.74, prevailing (survey) $63.98, gap +$33.24Jasper (Des Moines)+$33.24
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for millwrights, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
MuscatineUnion CARP2158-002 2025-06-01$39.31$29.89$69.20IA20260050
BentonUnion CARP2158-004 2025-06-01$36.70$28.95$65.65IA20260078
DubuqueUnion CARP2158-004 2025-06-01$36.70$28.95$65.65IA20260065
JonesUnion CARP2158-004 2025-06-01$36.70$28.95$65.65IA20260078
LinnUnion CARP2158-004 2025-06-01$36.70$28.95$65.65IA20260069
Appanooseuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260032
Cedaruavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260036
Clintonuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260038
Davisuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260040
Des Moinesuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260041
Henryuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260061
Iowauavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260045
Jacksonuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260061
Jasperuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260046
Jeffersonuavg UAVGIA0001 2025-01-01$35.93$28.05$63.98IA20260061

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Iowa prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

93.8kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-08
+3.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202594kAug 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Millwright pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do millwrights make in Iowa?

The median millwright in Iowa earned $29.91 an hour ($62,220 a year) in May 2025, 5% below the national median of $31.59. The middle half earn $26.91–$36.20; the top 10% earn more than $38.32.

Where does Iowa rank for millwright pay?

Iowa ranks 33rd of 48 states for millwright pay, with a median of $29.91 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union millwright rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for millwrights in 5 counties, with a typical package of $65.65 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many millwrights work in Iowa?

BLS counted 690 millwrights in Iowa in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.71; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Iowa and metro areas, SOC 49-9044.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.