Compare A Ironworker ↔ B Elevator Mechanic

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Your route

2 moves · +$49,900 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Millwright: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Elevator Mechanic: license depends on the work (Texas: elevator work must be done under a TDLR-registered elevator contractor with a Responsible Party (3 years' experience); TDLR has no separate mechanic license. No electrician license needed (1305.003(a)(15))).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Ironworker to Millwright +$10,390 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Millwrights as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78.
- Gates: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Installation, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Millwright to Elevator Mechanic +$39,510 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas: elevator work must be done under a TDLR-registered elevator contractor with a Responsible Party (3 years' experience); TDLR has no separate mechanic license. No electrician license needed (1305.003(a)(15))).

Side by side

All Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers: Texas median $102,140, $49,900 more a year than all Structural Iron and Steel Workers ($52,240), every experience level.

Elevator Mechanic: 74% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.2 times the share for Ironworker (34%).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$52,240+$49,900$102,140

Gates on the route: Millwright: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common); Elevator Mechanic: license depends on the work (Texas: elevator work must be done under a TDLR-registered elevator contractor with a Responsible Party (3 years' experience); TDLR has no separate mechanic license. No electrician license needed (1305.003(a)(15))).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +3.6% Texas, 850 openings a year

B +10.2% Texas, 120 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

34%+41 pts74%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

3.4 / 5+0.33.7 / 5

Hazardous conditions+1.92Hazardous conditions: A 2.93, B 4.85
Cramped space+1.62Cramped space: A 2.95, B 4.57
Protective gear-0.98Protective gear: A 3.47, B 2.49
High places+0.85High places: A 3.74, B 4.59
Hazardous equipment+0.73Hazardous equipment: A 3.63, B 4.36

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 7% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

License

A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

B Texas: elevator work must be done under a TDLR-registered elevator contractor with a Responsible Party (3 years' experience); TDLR has no separate mechanic license. No electrician license needed (1305.003(a)(15)).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 57%).

B Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 29%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Active Learning
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Coordination

To build: 6

Repairing +2.12
Equipment Maintenance +1.88
Installation +1.75
Troubleshooting +1.62
Equipment Selection +1.26
Systems Analysis +1.12

Make this your goal

Save Ironworker to Elevator Mechanic as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.