Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Millwright Salary in Houston
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Industrial · COL Index: 96
Millwrights in Houston, TX earn a median annual wage of $67,760 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $44,140 and the 90th at $120,190. After cost of living, that translates to $70,583 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (65/100).
What Millwrights Take Home in Houston
The $76,050 spread between entry-level and top-decile millwrights in Houston is wide — about 112% of the median. That breadth points to a trade where specialization, certifications, and supervisory roles meaningfully change earning potential. Top-decile workers can earn substantially more than the headline median suggests, particularly in industrial or commercial-grade work.
Houston's cost-of-living index of 96 is within a few points of the U.S. average, so the $67,760 median for millwrights here translates almost directly into real purchasing power — roughly $70,583 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 65 (C), millwrights in Houston 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) | $44,140 | $45,979 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $57,710 | $60,115 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $67,760 | $70,583 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $85,420 | $88,979 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $120,190 | $125,198 |
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 Houston are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Millwright make in Houston?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median millwright salary in Houston, TX is $67,760. The 10th percentile is $44,140 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $120,190 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Houston pay compare for Millwrights?
With a Trade Pay Score of 65/100 and a grade of C, the Houston-Millwright pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Millwrights in Houston?
Millwrights typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($44,140) 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 Houston?
Houston has a cost-of-living index of 96. The median millwright salary of $67,760 translates to $70,583 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less 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 Houston, TX earn a median annual wage of $67,760 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $44,140 and the 90th at $120,190. After cost of living, that translates to $70,583 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (65/100).
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.