Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Millwright Salary in Chicago
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Industrial · COL Index: 107
Millwrights in Chicago, IL earn a median annual wage of $83,180 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $45,760 and the 90th at $117,480. After cost of living, that translates to $77,738 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (67/100).
What Millwrights Take Home in Chicago
The $71,720 spread between entry-level and top-decile millwrights in Chicago is around 86% of the median — a typical range for skilled trades. Workers can roughly double their entry pay through a combination of experience, certifications, union membership, and moving from helper to journeyman to foreman roles.
Chicago's cost-of-living index of 107 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $83,180 median for millwrights here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $77,738 in U.S.-average terms. What you see is what you take home, with no significant adjustment up or down.
With a Trade Pay Score of 67 (C), millwrights in Chicago are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $45,760 | $42,766 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $62,150 | $58,084 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $83,180 | $77,738 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $111,090 | $103,822 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $117,480 | $109,794 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for millwrights, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Chicago are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Millwright make in Chicago?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median millwright salary in Chicago, IL is $83,180. The 10th percentile is $45,760 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $117,480 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Chicago pay compare for Millwrights?
With a Trade Pay Score of 67/100 and a grade of C, the Chicago-Millwright pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Millwrights in Chicago?
Millwrights typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($45,760) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Millwright pay in Chicago?
Chicago has a cost-of-living index of 107. The median millwright salary of $83,180 translates to $77,738 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Millwrights in Chicago, IL earn a median annual wage of $83,180 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $45,760 and the 90th at $117,480. After cost of living, that translates to $77,738 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (67/100).
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.