Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights earned a combined median of $64,100 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the group is projected to grow 14 percent from 2025 to 2035. That blended figure hides a sharp split. Industrial machinery mechanics, the largest group at 446,900 jobs, are projected to grow 18 percent, while millwrights are projected to grow 1 percent and machinery maintenance workers to shrink 2 percent. For anyone chasing growth, the mechanic role is the target, and its typical path is on-the-job training rather than a multi-year apprenticeship.
Most career guides quote one number for a trade and move on. The Bureau of Labor Statistics profile for this field covers three separate jobs under a single heading, and the blended figure hides the most useful fact in the data.
Combined, the numbers describe a solid, growing field. Split into its three occupations, the projections show nearly all of the growth sitting in one of them.
What these three jobs actually are
Industrial machinery mechanics, sometimes called maintenance machinists, keep factory equipment running by catching faults before they damage the machine or the product it makes. They diagnose problems using technical manuals, observation, and increasingly computerized diagnostics and vibration analysis, then take equipment apart and repair or replace parts. Typical machines include robotic welding arms, assembly line conveyors, and hydraulic lifts.
Machinery maintenance workers handle the routine layer: cleaning, lubricating, running basic diagnostic tests, and making minor repairs. Major repairs go to the mechanics.
Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites. Assembling a single machine can take from a few days to several weeks, and the work relies on precision measuring tools, rigging, cranes, and welding.
Where the growth actually is
BLS projects the combined group to grow 14 percent from 2025 to 2035, adding 78,900 jobs, compared with 3 percent for all occupations. The split underneath is far from even.
Industrial machinery mechanics, the largest group at 446,900 jobs in 2025, are projected to add 79,700 jobs, a gain of 18 percent. Millwrights are projected to add only 400 jobs, roughly 1 percent. Machinery maintenance workers are projected to lose 1,200 jobs, a decline of 2 percent.
Put plainly, the mechanic role accounts for all of the net growth. The other two titles are flat or shrinking.
Why the demand is uneven
BLS ties the mechanic growth to automation. Continued adoption of automated manufacturing machinery is expected to create jobs for these workers, since someone has to keep those machines in working order. Automated conveyors are singled out as a likely area of high demand, because the belts, motors, and rollers need regular care.
The other two titles face specific headwinds. Millwright employment is affected by slower growth in industries such as paper mills, and by slower nonresidential construction, since new facilities are less likely to need a millwright. Maintenance worker jobs decline because mechanics absorb maintenance tasks and because predictive maintenance lets shops schedule work more efficiently.
For workers worried about AI, this is the part worth noting. Automation that runs the production line raises demand for the people who keep the line running. BLS is describing factory automation rather than AI specifically, and projections are estimates, not guarantees.
What industrial maintenance pays
The combined median was $64,100 a year, or $30.82 an hour, in May 2025, compared with $50,980 for all occupations. The lowest 10 percent earned under $45,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,530.
By title, millwrights had the highest median at $65,700, followed by industrial machinery mechanics at $64,520 and machinery maintenance workers at $60,850. The gap between the growing role and the flat one is $1,180 a year. Choosing the growing role costs almost nothing in pay.
Industry matters too. Manufacturing paid a median of $65,220, construction $63,870, wholesale trade $62,450, and commercial and industrial machinery repair and maintenance $60,780. Overtime is common, especially for mechanics, and on-call, night, and weekend shifts come with the territory.
How you get in
Both routes start with a high school diploma or equivalent, and BLS lists no prior related work experience as a requirement.
Mechanics typically receive more than a year of on-the-job training, sometimes delivered by employer trainers or by the equipment manufacturer. Topics include shop math, blueprint reading, hand tools, welding, electronics, and computer programming. Some mechanics also complete a two-year associate's degree in industrial maintenance, which can include welding, mathematics, hydraulics, and pneumatics.
Most millwrights instead complete a 3 or 4 year apprenticeship. Each year includes at least 144 hours of technical instruction and up to 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. Sponsors include employers, local unions, contractor associations, and state labor departments, and applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and be physically able to do the work.
Openings are worth searching directly. BLS points applicants to their state labor department's apprenticeship council and to the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship program, and our guide to how the apprenticeship process works covers the steps.
Where the jobs are
About 51 percent of these workers are employed in manufacturing, 13 percent in wholesale trade, 11 percent in commercial and industrial machinery repair, and 5 percent in construction.
That distribution shapes the decision. Work follows the plants and facilities that run machinery, so it is worth checking which employers operate within commuting range before committing to training. Trades that serve every household, such as plumbing or HVAC, are less sensitive to that question.
Safety gear is standard, including hardhats, safety glasses, steel-toed shoes, gloves, and hearing protection. BLS notes that working with industrial machinery can be dangerous, which makes employer safety culture a fair question to ask in any interview.
Who this path is actually for
The mechanic role fits people who enjoy diagnosing a problem more than repeating a task. Day to day, the work is troubleshooting: forming a theory about why a machine is failing, testing it, and repairing what the evidence points to. It also requires comfort with on-call shifts and overtime.
Millwrighting suits people who prefer project-based installation and teardown work and are willing to commit to a multi-year apprenticeship. It does not suit anyone counting on a rising number of millwright positions, because BLS projects almost none.
For most career changers, the mechanic route is the more practical target. Growth is concentrated there, pay is nearly identical, and the entry path is shorter and typically employer-led.
- How much do industrial machinery mechanics make?
- The median annual wage for industrial machinery mechanics was $64,520 in May 2025, according to BLS. The combined group of mechanics, maintenance workers, and millwrights had a median of $64,100, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $45,760 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $94,530.
- Is industrial maintenance a good career in 2026?
- For someone who enjoys troubleshooting and can handle overtime and on-call shifts, yes. Industrial machinery mechanics earn a median of $64,520, well above the $50,980 median for all occupations, and BLS projects 18 percent employment growth from 2025 to 2035. The tradeoffs are schedules that can include nights and weekends, and work concentrated near industrial employers.
- What is the difference between an industrial machinery mechanic and a millwright?
- Mechanics focus on diagnosing and repairing operating factory equipment, while millwrights focus on installing, dismantling, and moving machinery, with some repair work. Most millwrights train through a 3 or 4 year apprenticeship. BLS projects 18 percent growth for mechanics and about 1 percent for millwrights from 2025 to 2035.
- How do you become an industrial machinery mechanic?
- Mechanics need a high school diploma or equivalent and typically receive more than a year of on-the-job training. Some also complete a two-year associate's degree in industrial maintenance. Millwrights usually complete a 3 or 4 year apprenticeship instead.
- Will automation or AI replace industrial machinery mechanics?
- BLS expects the opposite for now. It projects that continued adoption of automated manufacturing machinery will create jobs for these workers, who are needed to keep the machines in working order. Projections are estimates and can change.