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Machinists Salary
Machinists earn a median $58,750 a year in the U.S., with 287,050 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $58,750 a year
- Employment
- 287,050
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +1.0%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 26,100
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $58,750 · $28.24 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $59,320 · $28.52 an hour (estimate error ±0.2%)
- 10th percentile
- $39,200 · $18.85 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $47,570 · $22.87 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $67,700 · $32.55 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $80,010 · $38.47 an hour
- Employment
- 287,050 (estimate error ±0.9%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
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. Machinists who primarily program or operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment are classified in “Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators and Programmers” (51-9160).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 288,300
- Projected for 2035
- 291,200
- Change
- +3,000 (+1.0%)
- Openings each year
- 26,100
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.5%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $84,410 | 260 |
| 2 | Alaska | $77,670 | 120 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $72,900 | 160 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $67,270 | 7,080 |
| 5 | Washington | $66,160 | 6,880 |
| 6 | Oregon | $63,820 | 2,760 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $63,190 | 3,210 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $63,070 | 290 |
| 9 | Vermont | $62,680 | 220 |
| 10 | Delaware | $62,650 | 310 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 21,700 | $59,180 |
| Michigan | 20,350 | $52,360 |
| California | 18,950 | $57,190 |
| Ohio | 17,110 | $57,940 |
| Illinois | 16,520 | $58,520 |
| Indiana | 14,320 | $57,800 |
| Wisconsin | 12,700 | $59,110 |
| Minnesota | 12,500 | $61,140 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,380 | $57,810 |
| New York | 9,400 | $60,920 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $84,410 | 250 |
| 2 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $82,690 | 160 |
| 3 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $80,620 | 370 |
| 4 | Lake Charles, LA | $75,580 | 280 |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $74,560 | 4,250 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $72,060 | 4,870 |
| 7 | Corpus Christi, TX | $71,590 | 300 |
| 8 | Albany, OR | $71,300 | 190 |
| 9 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $71,290 | 120 |
| 10 | Duluth, MN-WI | $69,440 | 330 |
| 11 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $68,850 | 620 |
| 12 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $68,060 | 120 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,270 | $59,520 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 9,420 | $62,070 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,140 | $61,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,850 | $55,660 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 7,680 | $59,310 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 5,620 | $62,210 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,870 | $72,060 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,660 | $59,830 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,300 | $62,750 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,250 | $74,560 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 4,230 | $60,320 |
| Cleveland, OH | 3,980 | $58,240 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)12 certified filingsMedian offered wage $53,446
Machinists pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do machinists make?
- The median wage for machinists in the U.S. is $58,750 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,570 and $67,700.
- Which state pays machinists the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median wage for this occupation at $84,410 a year.
- What is the job outlook for machinists?
- BLS projects employment to grow 1.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 26,100 openings each year on average.
- What education do machinists need?
- The typical entry-level education is: high school diploma or equivalent.