---
title: "Machinist"
description: "Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who…"
canonical: "https://nuecareer.com/careers/machinist"
last-updated: "2026-08-23T15:56:39.581Z"
---

# Machinist

**Category:** Production · **SOC code:** 51-4041 · **O\*NET-SOC code:** 51-4041.00

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

Also advertised as: CNC Machinist (Computer Numeric Controlled Machinist); CNC Machinist (Computer Numerically Controlled Machinist); Gear Machinist; Machine Repair Person; Machinist; Maintenance Machinist; Manual Lathe Machinist; Production Machinist.

## At a glance

- **Median annual wage:** $58,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- **Median hourly wage:** $28.24/hr
- **Wage range (10th–90th percentile):** $39,200 to $80,010, with the middle half between $47,570 and $67,700
- **Total US employment:** 287,050
- **Typical entry education:** High school
- **Preparation required:** Some preparation — O\*NET rates this "Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed"
- **Projected growth:** 0.0% over 2024–2034 (BLS EP, 2024–2034)
- **Annual job openings:** 29,500 openings a year
- **AI-resilience score:** 47/100 — a NueCareer heuristic over O\*NET work activities and context, not a BLS or O\*NET figure

## Pay

National wage distribution, BLS OEWS, May 2025, across 287,050 US jobs.

| Percentile | Annual wage |
| --- | --- |
| 10th | $39,200 |
| 25th | $47,570 |
| 50th (median) | $58,750 |
| 75th | $67,700 |
| 90th | $80,010 |
| Mean (average) | $59,320 |

### Pay by state

The 15 highest-paying states, by median annual wage. The cost-of-living-adjusted column divides the state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, so the columns answer different questions: the first is what the job pays there, the second is what that pay buys there.

| State | Median annual wage | Cost-of-living adjusted | Employment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HI | $84,410 | $76,771 | 260 |
| AK | $77,670 | $75,880 | 120 |
| DC | $72,900 | $66,332 | 160 |
| MA | $67,270 | $63,608 | 7,080 |
| WA | $66,160 | $61,824 | 6,880 |
| OR | $63,820 | $61,745 | 2,760 |
| NJ | $63,190 | $58,076 | 3,210 |
| WY | $63,070 | $68,043 | 290 |
| VT | $62,680 | $63,987 | 220 |
| DE | $62,650 | $62,771 | 310 |
| CT | $62,130 | $59,965 | 5,240 |
| ND | $61,820 | $69,493 | 560 |
| NH | $61,500 | $59,041 | 1,620 |
| VA | $61,290 | $60,621 | 5,660 |
| UT | $61,280 | $61,984 | 3,810 |

37 more states with published wage data are omitted here. The full table for all 52 states is at https://nuecareer.com/careers/machinist/salary-by-state, or as JSON at https://nuecareer.com/api/v1/careers/machinist.

## Outlook

BLS projects employment to move from 299,500 in the 2024–2034 base year to 299,600 by the end of the cycle — a gain of 0 jobs, or 0.0%. Slower than average: 0.0% against 3.1% projected for all occupations over the same cycle. About 29,500 openings a year are expected on average, counting openings from growth as well as from workers leaving the occupation permanently. Source: BLS EP, 2024–2034.

## How to get in

- **Typical entry education:** High school diploma or equivalent (BLS Employment Projections).
- **Preparation level:** Some preparation — O\*NET's preparation band for this occupation is "Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed".
- **Related work experience typically required:** None.
- **Typical on-the-job training:** Long-term on-the-job training.

### Education people in this job actually hold

O\*NET surveys incumbents, so this distribution describes who is in the job today and can differ from the BLS entry requirement above.

| Education level | Share of workers |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 35.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 33.1% |
| Some College Courses | 17.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 13.6% |

## What the work involves

- Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments, such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
- Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders.
- Maintain machine tools in proper operational condition.
- Set up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations.
- Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
- Align and secure holding fixtures, cutting tools, attachments, accessories, or materials onto machines.
- Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
- Diagnose machine tool malfunctions to determine need for adjustments or repairs.

## Skills and knowledge

### Essential skills

- Critical Thinking — importance 3.1 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Monitoring — importance 3.1 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Active Listening — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Speaking — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Reading Comprehension — importance 2.9 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Mathematics — importance 2.9 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Active Learning — importance 2.8 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Writing — importance 2.5 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale

### Transferable skills

These are the skills that carry into other occupations, and they drive the related-occupation and career-change rankings on this site.

- Operation and Control — importance 3.3 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Operations Monitoring — importance 3.1 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Coordination — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Complex Problem Solving — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Troubleshooting — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Quality Control Analysis — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Social Perceptiveness — importance 2.9 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Equipment Maintenance — importance 2.9 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale

### Knowledge areas

- Mathematics — importance 3.5 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Mechanical — importance 3.3 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Production and Processing — importance 3.3 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Design — importance 3.0 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Engineering and Technology — importance 2.7 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- English Language — importance 2.7 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale

### Abilities

- Arm-Hand Steadiness — importance 3.6 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Manual Dexterity — importance 3.6 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Finger Dexterity — importance 3.6 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Control Precision — importance 3.5 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Problem Sensitivity — importance 3.3 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale
- Deductive Reasoning — importance 3.3 on the O\*NET 1–5 importance scale

## Who it suits

O\*NET rates every occupation on the six Holland (RIASEC) interest areas, on a 1–7 scale. This occupation's strongest areas are Realistic (R), Conventional (C), Investigative (I).

| Interest area | Score (1–7) |
| --- | --- |
| R — Realistic | 7.00 |
| C — Conventional | 4.40 |
| I — Investigative | 3.70 |
| A — Artistic | 1.95 |
| E — Enterprising | 1.21 |
| S — Social | 1.16 |

### Personality fit

These scores are **derived by NueCareer**, not published by any government agency: they are cosine similarities between a personality type's trait profile and this occupation's O\*NET interest and work-style ratings, expressed 0–100. Treat them as a starting point for exploration, not as evidence that a type belongs in a job.

| Type | Fit score (0–100) |
| --- | --- |
| ISTJ | 90.0 |
| ISTP | 82.6 |
| INTJ | 74.2 |
| ISFJ | 70.3 |
| ESTJ | 67.4 |

Best-fitting types: ISTJ. The bank also flags this occupation as introvert-friendly, meaning O\*NET work-context ratings put it low on public contact and performing for the public.

## Related occupations

O\*NET's primary related occupations, in its own ranked order.

- [Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator](https://nuecareer.com/careers/computer-numerically-controlled-tool-operator) — median $50,690
- [Milling and Planing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic](https://nuecareer.com/careers/milling-and-planing-machine-setter-operator-and-tender-metal-and-plastic) — median $52,800
- [Tool and Die Maker](https://nuecareer.com/careers/tool-and-die-maker) — median $64,050
- [Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic](https://nuecareer.com/careers/lathe-and-turning-machine-tool-setter-operator-and-tender-metal-and-plastic) — median $50,620
- [Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer](https://nuecareer.com/careers/computer-numerically-controlled-tool-programmer) — median $68,120
- [Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic](https://nuecareer.com/careers/multiple-machine-tool-setter-operator-and-tender-metal-and-plastic) — median $47,180
- [Aircraft Structure, Surface, Rigging, and Systems Assembler](https://nuecareer.com/careers/aircraft-structure-surface-rigging-and-systems-assembler) — median $65,380
- [Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener](https://nuecareer.com/careers/tool-grinder-filer-and-sharpener) — median $50,060
- [Millwright](https://nuecareer.com/careers/millwright) — median $65,700
- [Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender](https://nuecareer.com/careers/welding-soldering-and-brazing-machine-setter-operator-and-tender) — median $47,920

## Sources

- **O\*NET** — O\*NET 30.3 Database, May 2026. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS OEWS** — BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS EP** — BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2, 2024–2034. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **BLS OOH** — BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
- **BEA RPP** — BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024. https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area

---

This bank includes information from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. NueCareer has transformed the data by joining it to BLS wage and projection data and deriving facet, personality-fit and AI-resilience scores. BLS and BEA data are public domain (17 U.S.C. §105).

O\*NET content is used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). How these figures are sourced and derived: https://nuecareer.com/careers/methodology

JSON representation of this page: https://nuecareer.com/api/v1/careers/machinist