Skilled Wages

Millwright salary in Wisconsin

Median $39.73 an hour for 1,220 millwrights, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$39.73/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$82,630/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$27.66 – $44.8510th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,220Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Millwright pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$30$40$50/hrWisconsin: 10th $27.66 · 25th $30.10 · median $39.73 · 75th $43.62 · 90th $44.85Wisconsin$39.73$27.66$44.85United States: 10th $22.25 · 25th $27.11 · median $31.59 · 75th $39.18 · 90th $45.00United States$31.59
Hourly wage percentiles for millwrights: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 4th of 48 states for median millwright pay, and 5th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $42.22). 1,220 millwrights work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$27.66 – $30.10$57,530 – $62,610roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$30.10 – $43.62$62,610 – $90,730the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$43.62 – $44.85$90,730 – $93,280the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Millwright pay by metro in Wisconsin

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrMadison: $43.63Madison$43.63Green Bay: $40.81Green Bay$40.81Milwaukee: $40.79Milwaukee$40.79Appleton: $40.74Appleton$40.74Wausau: $40.13Wausau$40.13Minneapolis: $38.14Minneapolis$38.14Duluth: $37.45Duluth$37.45Oshkosh: $36.35Oshkosh$36.35
Median hourly wage for millwrights by metro area in Wisconsin, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Madison$31.26$43.63$44.84$57.274010% above
Green Bay$24.71$40.81$43.83$44.482003% above
Milwaukee$29.29$40.79$42.09$46.422103% above
Appleton$29.61$40.74$44.09$45.031003% above
Wausau$34.05$40.13$43.29$43.78501% above
Minneapolis$30.82$38.14$36.39$44.542804% below
Duluth$28.17$37.45$42.17$44.31406% below
Oshkosh$30.24$36.35$39.13$44.68809% below

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

Millwright wages in Wisconsin over time

Wisconsin, 1999-2025WisconsinUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.73Wisconsin$31.59United States
Median hourly wage for millwrights, Wisconsin vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWisconsin $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$20.24$39.11$18.762,090
2000$22.28$41.65$19.332,240
2001$22.96$41.74$20.182,440
2002$23.01$41.18$20.192,290
2003$23.27$40.72$20.382,010
2004$22.69$38.67$21.021,810
2005$23.76$39.17$21.531,640
2006$25.20$40.24$21.941,750
2007$24.95$38.74$22.161,610
2008$25.51$38.15$22.871,530
2009$25.64$38.48$23.141,460
2010$26.49$39.11$23.251,390
2011$25.31$36.22$23.691,220
2012$23.93$33.56$23.801,200
2013$23.94$33.08$24.051,210
2014$24.26$32.99$24.261,240
2015$25.86$35.13$24.711,050
2016$26.96$36.16$25.21990
2017$30.09$39.52$25.95950
2018$31.67$40.60$26.47820
2019$30.51$38.42$26.71910
2020$30.28$37.67$27.53680
2021$30.10$35.76$29.00670
2022$31.11$34.22$29.29620
2023$30.03$31.73$30.28790
2024$36.89$37.86$31.331,050
2025$39.73$39.73$31.591,220

In today's dollars, the median millwright wage in Wisconsin changed by +13.1% over the last ten years of data and by +3.4% since 2019.

Are there more millwright jobs in Wisconsin?

0.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.6× the US share, 17th of 47 states

BLS counted 1,220 millwrights in Wisconsin in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. 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 Wisconsin

+2.1%Projected growth in Wisconsin2024–2034, state agency
100Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,040Jobs in 20241,070 projected for 2034
+0.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects the number of millwrights in the state to change by +2.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,070, with about 100 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 1,220 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for millwrights in Wisconsin

On federally funded construction in Wisconsin, contractors must pay millwrights at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 71 of the 71 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $71.41 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $39.73.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WIAdams: $71.41 (union)Ashland: $71.41 (union)Barron: $71.41 (union)Bayfield: $71.41 (union)Brown: $70.85 (union)Buffalo: $71.41 (union)Burnett: $71.41 (union)Calumet: $70.85 (union)Chippewa: $70.85 (union)Clark: $71.41 (union)Columbia: $71.41 (union)Crawford: $71.41 (union)Dane: $70.85 (union)Dodge: $71.41 (union)Door: $71.41 (union)Douglas: n/aDunn: $71.41 (union)Eau Claire: $70.85 (union)Florence: $71.41 (union)Fond du Lac: $71.41 (union)Forest: $71.41 (union)Grant: $71.41 (union)Green: $71.41 (union)Green Lake: $71.41 (union)Iowa: $71.41 (union)Iron: $71.41 (union)Jackson: $71.41 (union)Jefferson: $71.41 (union)Juneau: $71.41 (union)Kenosha: $76.97 (union)Kewaunee: $71.41 (union)La Crosse: $70.85 (union)Lafayette: $71.41 (union)Langlade: $71.41 (union)Lincoln: $71.41 (union)Manitowoc: $71.41 (union)Marathon: $70.85 (union)Marinette: $71.41 (union)Marquette: $71.41 (union)Menominee: $71.41 (union)Milwaukee: $76.97 (union)Monroe: $71.41 (union)Oconto: $71.41 (union)Oneida: $71.41 (union)Outagamie: $70.85 (union)Ozaukee: $76.97 (union)Pepin: $71.41 (union)Pierce: $70.85 (union)Polk: $71.41 (union)Portage: $71.41 (union)Price: $71.41 (union)Racine: $76.97 (union)Richland: $71.41 (union)Rock: $70.85 (union)Rusk: $71.41 (union)St. Croix: $70.85 (union)Sauk: $71.41 (union)Sawyer: $71.41 (union)Shawano: $71.41 (union)Sheboygan: $70.85 (union)Taylor: $71.41 (union)Trempealeau: $71.41 (union)Vernon: $71.41 (union)Vilas: $71.41 (union)Walworth: $71.41 (union)Washburn: $71.41 (union)Washington: $76.97 (union)Waukesha: $76.97 (union)Waupaca: $71.41 (union)Waushara: $71.41 (union)Winnebago: $70.85 (union)Wood: $71.41 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$71.41n/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/hrKenosha (Wisconsin): market median $39.73, prevailing (union) $76.97, gap +$37.24Kenosha (Wisconsin)+$37.24Milwaukee (Milwaukee): market median $40.79, prevailing (union) $76.97, gap +$36.18Milwaukee (Milwaukee)+$36.18Winnebago (Oshkosh): market median $36.35, prevailing (union) $70.85, gap +$34.50Winnebago (Oshkosh)+$34.50Pierce (Minneapolis): market median $38.14, prevailing (union) $70.85, gap +$32.71Pierce (Minneapolis)+$32.71Marathon (Wausau): market median $40.13, prevailing (union) $70.85, gap +$30.72Marathon (Wausau)+$30.72Kewaunee (Green Bay): market median $40.81, prevailing (union) $71.41, gap +$30.60Kewaunee (Green Bay)+$30.60Calumet (Appleton): market median $40.74, prevailing (union) $70.85, gap +$30.11Calumet (Appleton)+$30.11Columbia (Madison): market median $43.63, prevailing (union) $71.41, gap +$27.78Columbia (Madison)+$27.78
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for millwrights, metro counties in Wisconsin.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
KenoshaUnion CARP2337-004 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260004
MilwaukeeUnion CARP2337-002 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260001
OzaukeeUnion CARP2337-002 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260001
RacineUnion CARP2337-006 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260009
WashingtonUnion CARP2337-002 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260001
WaukeshaUnion CARP2337-002 2025-06-02$44.03$32.94$76.97WI20260001
AdamsUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
AshlandUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
BarronUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
BayfieldUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
BuffaloUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
BurnettUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
ClarkUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
ColumbiaUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011
CrawfordUnion CARP1348-006 2025-05-01$41.90$29.51$71.41WI20260011

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Wisconsin prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

160.1kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-09
+5.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025160kSep 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Millwright pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

More on Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do millwrights make in Wisconsin?

The median millwright in Wisconsin earned $39.73 an hour ($82,630 a year) in May 2025, 26% above the national median of $31.59. The middle half earn $30.10–$43.62; the top 10% earn more than $44.85.

Where does Wisconsin rank for millwright pay?

Wisconsin ranks 4th of 48 states for millwright pay, with a median of $39.73 an hour, and 5th after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union millwright rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for millwrights in 71 counties, with a typical package of $71.41 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many millwrights work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 1,220 millwrights in Wisconsin in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.60; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is millwright work growing in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects +2.1% growth for millwrights between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,070 jobs.

How many millwright openings a year are there in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin projects about 100 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, Wisconsin 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Wisconsin labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.