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CNC machinist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$58,750median pay per year, or $28.24 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $39,200lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,57025th percentile
  3. $58,750median
  4. $67,70075th percentile
  5. $80,010top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[6]

A CNC machinist, which BLS counts under Machinists[1], earned a median of $58,750 a year in May 2025[2]. Jobs are projected to grow 1% over the next decade, slower than the average for all jobs[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1%[3]
Openings per year
26,100[7]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[8]

How much do CNC machinists make?

The median pay for Machinists was $58,750 a year, or $28.24 an hour[2]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was a little higher, at $59,320 a year or $28.52 an hour[9]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[6].

The pay range is wide. Here are the annual percentiles:

Percentile Annual pay Source
10th[5] $39,200
25th[5] $47,570
Median[2] $58,750
75th[5] $67,700
90th[5] $80,010

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,200, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $80,010[5]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10]. By the hour, the 10th percentile was $18.85 and the 90th was $38.47[11].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not count nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Pay by state and city

Hawaii had the highest state median at $84,410, followed by Alaska at $77,670 and the District of Columbia at $72,900[13]. Hawaii and Alaska have few jobs, with 260 and 120 in the data[13]. West Virginia had the lowest median among states with published data, at $47,350[13].

Texas had the most jobs at 21,700[14]. Michigan (20,350), California (18,950), Ohio (17,110) and Illinois (16,520) followed[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Urban Honolulu, HI had the highest median at $84,410[15]. Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL ($82,690) and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA ($80,620) came next[15]. The metro with the most jobs was Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, with 11,270 jobs and a median of $59,520[16].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[13]$84,410260
Alaska$77,670120
District of Columbia$72,900160
Massachusetts$67,2707,080
Washington$66,1606,880
Oregon$63,8202,760
New Jersey$63,1903,210
Wyoming$63,070290
Vermont$62,680220
Delaware$62,650310
Connecticut$62,1305,240
North Dakota$61,820560
New Hampshire$61,5001,620
Virginia$61,2905,660
Utah$61,2803,810
Minnesota$61,14012,500
Louisiana$61,1104,640
Arizona$61,0804,330
Montana$60,920630
New York$60,9209,400
Colorado$60,2002,800
Maryland$59,8101,380
New Mexico$59,440690
Texas$59,18021,700
Maine$59,1601,780
Wisconsin$59,11012,700
Idaho$58,8101,070
Missouri$58,7108,380
Kentucky$58,6606,040
Illinois$58,52016,520
South Carolina$57,9703,790
Ohio$57,94017,110
Pennsylvania$57,81012,380
Indiana$57,80014,320
Rhode Island$57,760860
Iowa$57,5402,880
California$57,19018,950
Florida$57,1408,400
Nebraska$55,8601,810
Alabama$55,5605,170
Mississippi$55,5501,920
North Carolina$55,2308,330
Nevada$53,050900
Georgia$52,6106,090
Michigan$52,36020,350
Kansas$51,2203,870
Arkansas$51,1402,150
Oklahoma$51,1204,230
South Dakota$50,890830
Tennessee$49,6008,270
West Virginia$47,3501,700

How to become a CNC machinist

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education. It lists no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training[8]. The path often looks like this:

Certification is optional. It can show your skills and may help you move up[21]. The facts do not say how many years it takes to become fully trained, only that the training is long-term[8].

In an O*NET survey of 27 workers, 36% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, 33% said a post-secondary certificate, 17% said some college courses and 14% said less than a high school diploma[22]. This is a small survey. The training details above come from a BLS profile that covers machinists together with tool and die makers[23].

What CNC machinists do

Machinists set up and run machine tools to make precision metal parts[24]. Common tasks include:

BLS says the work needs close attention, since accuracy can be to within .0001 of an inch[26]. Machinists also have to be able to work with CAD/CAM, CNC machine tools and measuring machines[27].

Where they work

In the BLS profile, fabricated metal product manufacturing was the largest employer of machinists and tool and die makers, at 35% of jobs[28]. Many work full time in regular business hours. Some work nights and weekends where plants run around the clock, and some work more than 40 hours a week[29]. Machine tools can be hazardous, so workers wear protective gear such as safety glasses and earplugs[30]. The job also means standing for long periods and repeating movements[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects Machinists employment to grow 1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 288,300 to 291,200 jobs[3]. That compares with 3.5% growth for all occupations[4]. These counts include self-employed workers, and only 0.5% of machinists were self-employed in 2025[32]. The OEWS count of 287,050 jobs covers wage and salary jobs only[33].

Even with slow growth, BLS projects about 26,100 openings a year[7]. Openings include jobs left by workers who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs. Each year 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 5.4% move to a different occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and entry needs a high school diploma with no prior experience[2][6][8]. The training is long-term, so it suits people willing to learn on the job over time[8]. The work calls for precision, standing for long periods and following safety rules[26][31][30]. Job growth is slow at 1%, but openings still come up each year as people leave[3][7].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a CNC machinist make an hour?
The median hourly wage for Machinists was $28.24 in May 2025, and the average was $28.52[2][9].
What degree do you need to be a CNC machinist?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, plus long-term on-the-job training[8].
Is machinist work in demand?
BLS projects 1% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 26,100 openings a year[3][4][7].
What is the highest paying state for machinists?
Hawaii had the highest median at $84,410, then Alaska at $77,670 and the District of Columbia at $72,900[13].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 51-4041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: 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. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Machinists in the US was $58,750 per year and $28.24 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Machinists is projected to grow 1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 288,300 to 291,200 jobs (a change of +3,000). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Machinists: 10th percentile $39,200, 25th percentile $47,570, 75th percentile $67,700, 90th percentile $80,010. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS Employment Projections: about 26,100 openings for Machinists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Machinists: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Machinists was $59,320 per year and $28.52 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Machinists: 10th percentile $18.85, 25th percentile $22.87, 75th percentile $32.55, 90th percentile $38.47. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Machinists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Machinists jobs: Texas 21,700; Michigan 20,350; California 18,950; Ohio 17,110; Illinois 16,520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Machinists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Urban Honolulu, HI $84,410; Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $82,690; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $80,620; Lake Charles, LA $75,580; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,560; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $72,060; Corpus Christi, TX $71,590; Albany, OR $71,300. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Machinists jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 11,270 (median $59,520); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 9,420 (median $62,070); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 8,140 (median $61,280); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,850 (median $55,660); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 7,680 (median $59,310); St. Louis, MO-IL 5,620 (median $62,210). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET 51-4041.00 survey of workers (27 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 36%, Post-Secondary Certificate 33%, Some College Courses 17%, Less than a High School Diploma 14% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  23. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Machinists and Tool and Die Makers" covers Machinists together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Machinists. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Machinists. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of machinists and tool and die makers in 2025: Fabricated metal product manufacturing 35%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: 0.5% of Machinists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 287,050 people were employed as Machinists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Machinists: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.