Machinist salary: what machinists actually make
Machinists earned a median $28.24 an hour ($58,750 a year) in May 2025, across 287,050 jobs in the BLS employer survey. Pay by state and metro, the 20-year trend, and the union scale contractors must pay on federal work.
How much do machinists make?
The median machinist earned $28.24 an hour, or $58,750 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 287,050 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $22.87 and $32.55 an hour.
The middle half of machinists earn between $22.87 and $32.55 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $38.47 ($80,010 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $18.85. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
Apprentice, journeyman and master machinist pay
Pay tracks licence and experience: an apprentice or entry-level machinist earns near the bottom of the range, a journeyman around the median, and a master machinist, foreman or specialist in the top quarter.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.85 – $22.87 | $39,200 – $47,570 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.87 – $32.55 | $47,570 – $67,700 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $32.55 – $38.47 | $67,700 – $80,010 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification or licence requirement.
Machinist pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $40.58 | 44% above |
| Alaska | $37.34 | 32% above |
| District of Columbia | $35.05 | 24% above |
| Massachusetts | $32.34 | 15% above |
| Washington | $31.81 | 13% above |
| Oregon | $30.68 | 9% above |
| New Jersey | $30.38 | 8% above |
| Wyoming | $30.32 | 7% above |
| Vermont | $30.14 | 7% above |
| Delaware | $30.12 | 7% above |
| Connecticut | $29.87 | 6% above |
| North Dakota | $29.72 | 5% above |
| New Hampshire | $29.57 | 5% above |
| Virginia | $29.47 | 4% above |
| Utah | $29.46 | 4% above |
| Minnesota | $29.39 | 4% above |
| Louisiana | $29.38 | 4% above |
| Arizona | $29.37 | 4% above |
| Montana | $29.29 | 4% above |
| New York | $29.29 | 4% above |
| Colorado | $28.94 | 2% above |
| Maryland | $28.76 | 2% above |
| New Mexico | $28.58 | 1% above |
| Texas | $28.45 | 1% above |
| Maine | $28.44 | 1% above |
| Wisconsin | $28.42 | 1% above |
| Idaho | $28.28 | about the same as |
| Missouri | $28.23 | about the same as |
| Kentucky | $28.20 | about the same as |
| Illinois | $28.13 | about the same as |
| South Carolina | $27.87 | 1% below |
| Ohio | $27.86 | 1% below |
| Indiana | $27.79 | 2% below |
| Pennsylvania | $27.79 | 2% below |
| Rhode Island | $27.77 | 2% below |
| Iowa | $27.66 | 2% below |
| California | $27.49 | 3% below |
| Florida | $27.47 | 3% below |
| Nebraska | $26.86 | 5% below |
| Alabama | $26.71 | 5% below |
| Mississippi | $26.71 | 5% below |
| North Carolina | $26.56 | 6% below |
| Nevada | $25.51 | 10% below |
| Georgia | $25.29 | 10% below |
| Michigan | $25.17 | 11% below |
| Kansas | $24.63 | 13% below |
| Arkansas | $24.59 | 13% below |
| Oklahoma | $24.58 | 13% below |
| South Dakota | $24.47 | 13% below |
| Tennessee | $23.85 | 16% below |
| West Virginia | $22.77 | 19% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $40.58 | $36.89 | #1 | 260 |
| Alaska | $37.34 | $36.46 | #2 | 120 |
| District of Columbia | $35.05 | $31.89 | #6 | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $32.34 | $30.57 | #14 | 7,080 |
| Washington | $31.81 | $29.73 | #24 | 6,880 |
| Oregon | $30.68 | $29.67 | #25 | 2,760 |
| New Jersey | $30.38 | $27.92 | #39 | 3,210 |
| Wyoming | $30.32 | $32.71 | #5 | 290 |
| Vermont | $30.14 | $30.76 | #12 | 220 |
| Delaware | $30.12 | $30.18 | #16 | 310 |
| Connecticut | $29.87 | $28.83 | #31 | 5,240 |
| North Dakota | $29.72 | $33.39 | #3 | 560 |
| New Hampshire | $29.57 | $28.38 | #33 | 1,620 |
| Virginia | $29.47 | $29.15 | #30 | 5,660 |
| Utah | $29.46 | $29.79 | #21 | 3,810 |
| Minnesota | $29.39 | $29.81 | #20 | 12,500 |
| Louisiana | $29.38 | $33.31 | #4 | 4,640 |
| Arizona | $29.37 | $29.17 | #29 | 4,330 |
| Montana | $29.29 | $30.96 | #11 | 630 |
| New York | $29.29 | $27.15 | #44 | 9,400 |
| Colorado | $28.94 | $28.07 | #37 | 2,800 |
| Maryland | $28.76 | $27.39 | #41 | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $28.58 | $31.00 | #10 | 690 |
| Texas | $28.45 | $29.30 | #28 | 21,700 |
| Maine | $28.44 | $29.32 | #27 | 1,780 |
| Wisconsin | $28.42 | $30.20 | #15 | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $28.28 | $29.61 | #26 | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $28.23 | $31.09 | #9 | 8,380 |
| Kentucky | $28.20 | $31.26 | #8 | 6,040 |
| Illinois | $28.13 | $28.13 | #36 | 16,520 |
| South Carolina | $27.87 | $29.74 | #23 | 3,790 |
| Ohio | $27.86 | $30.02 | #18 | 17,110 |
| Indiana | $27.79 | $29.79 | #22 | 14,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $27.79 | $28.47 | #32 | 12,380 |
| Rhode Island | $27.77 | $27.15 | #43 | 860 |
| Iowa | $27.66 | $31.50 | #7 | 2,880 |
| California | $27.49 | $24.83 | #51 | 18,950 |
| Florida | $27.47 | $26.57 | #45 | 8,400 |
| Nebraska | $26.86 | $29.81 | #19 | 1,810 |
| Alabama | $26.71 | $30.08 | #17 | 5,170 |
| Mississippi | $26.71 | $30.70 | #13 | 1,920 |
| North Carolina | $26.56 | $28.17 | #35 | 8,330 |
| Nevada | $25.51 | $25.51 | #49 | 900 |
| Georgia | $25.29 | $26.26 | #46 | 6,090 |
| Michigan | $25.17 | $26.16 | #47 | 20,350 |
| Kansas | $24.63 | $27.34 | #42 | 3,870 |
| Arkansas | $24.59 | $28.30 | #34 | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $24.58 | $28.00 | #38 | 4,230 |
| South Dakota | $24.47 | $27.62 | #40 | 830 |
| Tennessee | $23.85 | $25.95 | #48 | 8,270 |
| West Virginia | $22.77 | $25.44 | #50 | 1,700 |
Machinist wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $14.30 | $27.63 | 419,800 |
| 2000 | $14.78 | $27.63 | 420,320 |
| 2001 | $15.43 | $28.05 | 390,090 |
| 2002 | $15.66 | $28.02 | 368,320 |
| 2003 | $15.91 | $27.84 | 368,740 |
| 2004 | $16.33 | $27.83 | 361,280 |
| 2005 | $16.51 | $27.22 | 368,380 |
| 2006 | $16.71 | $26.68 | 385,690 |
| 2007 | $16.94 | $26.30 | 410,900 |
| 2008 | $17.41 | $26.03 | 419,070 |
| 2009 | $18.10 | $27.16 | 380,720 |
| 2010 | $18.52 | $27.34 | 352,650 |
| 2011 | $18.86 | $26.99 | 368,510 |
| 2012 | $18.99 | $26.63 | 388,370 |
| 2013 | $19.03 | $26.30 | 391,130 |
| 2014 | $19.22 | $26.14 | 392,700 |
| 2015 | $19.49 | $26.47 | 399,040 |
| 2016 | $20.05 | $26.89 | 391,120 |
| 2017 | $20.48 | $26.90 | 378,320 |
| 2018 | $20.97 | $26.89 | 384,350 |
| 2019 | $21.36 | $26.90 | 383,470 |
| 2020 | $22.04 | $27.42 | 360,340 |
| 2021 | $22.95 | $27.27 | 333,220 |
| 2022 | $23.32 | $25.65 | 316,860 |
| 2023 | $24.44 | $25.82 | 290,720 |
| 2024 | $27.00 | $27.71 | 298,790 |
| 2025 | $28.24 | $28.24 | 287,050 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median machinist wage changed by +6.7% over the last ten years and by +5.0% since 2019.
Are there more machinist jobs than there used to be?
The BLS employer survey counted 287,050 machinists in May 2025, -28.1% compared with 399,040 ten years earlier and -25.1% since 2019.
Table
| Year | Jobs |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 419,800 |
| 2000 | 420,320 |
| 2001 | 390,090 |
| 2002 | 368,320 |
| 2003 | 368,740 |
| 2004 | 361,280 |
| 2005 | 368,380 |
| 2006 | 385,690 |
| 2007 | 410,900 |
| 2008 | 419,070 |
| 2009 | 380,720 |
| 2010 | 352,650 |
| 2011 | 368,510 |
| 2012 | 388,370 |
| 2013 | 391,130 |
| 2014 | 392,700 |
| 2015 | 399,040 |
| 2016 | 391,120 |
| 2017 | 378,320 |
| 2018 | 384,350 |
| 2019 | 383,470 |
| 2020 | 360,340 |
| 2021 | 333,220 |
| 2022 | 316,860 |
| 2023 | 290,720 |
| 2024 | 298,790 |
| 2025 | 287,050 |
Of the 28 states with a precise enough estimate to compare, 4 counted more machinists in 2025 than ten years earlier. The fastest growth was in Missouri (+26.8%, 6,610 to 8,380); the weakest was South Carolina (-59.2%).
| State | Jobs in 2015 | Jobs in 2025 | Change over 10 years | Since 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 6,610 | 8,380 | +26.8% | +51.3% |
| Utah | 3,520 | 3,810 | +8.2% | +14.1% |
| Minnesota | 11,730 | 12,500 | +6.6% | +13.8% |
| Tennessee | 8,200 | 8,270 | +0.9% | -12.6% |
| Indiana | 15,090 | 14,320 | -5.1% | -27.1% |
| Kansas | 4,220 | 3,870 | -8.3% | +2.1% |
| Kentucky | 6,590 | 6,040 | -8.3% | +1.2% |
| Florida | 9,260 | 8,400 | -9.3% | -8.6% |
| Massachusetts | 8,200 | 7,080 | -13.7% | -10.4% |
| Wisconsin | 15,110 | 12,700 | -15.9% | +8.8% |
| Virginia | 6,850 | 5,660 | -17.4% | -26.7% |
| Georgia | 7,540 | 6,090 | -19.2% | -22.5% |
| Alabama | 6,760 | 5,170 | -23.5% | -10.4% |
| Arizona | 5,820 | 4,330 | -25.6% | +10.7% |
| North Carolina | 11,220 | 8,330 | -25.8% | -30.0% |
| New Jersey | 4,430 | 3,210 | -27.5% | -26.9% |
| Louisiana | 6,410 | 4,640 | -27.6% | -1.3% |
| Washington | 9,520 | 6,880 | -27.7% | -28.1% |
| Michigan | 28,200 | 20,350 | -27.8% | -23.5% |
| Connecticut | 7,400 | 5,240 | -29.2% | -34.1% |
| Oklahoma | 6,000 | 4,230 | -29.5% | -6.2% |
| New York | 13,480 | 9,400 | -30.3% | -31.0% |
| Texas | 33,440 | 21,700 | -35.1% | -24.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 20,480 | 12,380 | -39.6% | -27.2% |
| Ohio | 28,800 | 17,110 | -40.6% | -34.9% |
| California | 33,810 | 18,950 | -44.0% | -47.5% |
| Illinois | 32,040 | 16,520 | -48.4% | -45.0% |
| South Carolina | 9,300 | 3,790 | -59.2% | -66.7% |
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Where the machinist jobs are
Michigan has the highest concentration of machinists, 2.5× the national share, followed by Indiana (2.4×) and Wisconsin (2.3×). The lowest is District of Columbia at 0.1×. Concentration says where the trade is a large part of the local economy; the job count says where the most positions are.
| State | Jobs | Jobs per 1,000 | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 20,350 | 4.6 | 2.5× |
| Indiana | 14,320 | 4.5 | 2.4× |
| Wisconsin | 12,700 | 4.3 | 2.3× |
| Minnesota | 12,500 | 4.2 | 2.3× |
| Connecticut | 5,240 | 3.1 | 1.7× |
| Ohio | 17,110 | 3.1 | 1.7× |
| Kentucky | 6,040 | 3.0 | 1.6× |
| Missouri | 8,380 | 2.9 | 1.6× |
| Maine | 1,780 | 2.8 | 1.5× |
| Illinois | 16,520 | 2.7 | 1.5× |
| Kansas | 3,870 | 2.7 | 1.5× |
| Tennessee | 8,270 | 2.5 | 1.4× |
| Oklahoma | 4,230 | 2.5 | 1.3× |
| Alabama | 5,170 | 2.5 | 1.3× |
| West Virginia | 1,700 | 2.4 | 1.3× |
| Louisiana | 4,640 | 2.4 | 1.3× |
| New Hampshire | 1,620 | 2.4 | 1.3× |
| Utah | 3,810 | 2.2 | 1.2× |
| Pennsylvania | 12,380 | 2.0 | 1.1× |
| Massachusetts | 7,080 | 1.9 | 1.1× |
| Washington | 6,880 | 1.9 | 1.1× |
| Iowa | 2,880 | 1.9 | 1.0× |
| South Dakota | 830 | 1.8 | 1.0× |
| Nebraska | 1,810 | 1.8 | 1.0× |
| Rhode Island | 860 | 1.7 | 0.9× |
| North Carolina | 8,330 | 1.7 | 0.9× |
| Arkansas | 2,150 | 1.6 | 0.9× |
| Mississippi | 1,920 | 1.6 | 0.9× |
| South Carolina | 3,790 | 1.6 | 0.9× |
| Texas | 21,700 | 1.5 | 0.8× |
| Oregon | 2,760 | 1.4 | 0.8× |
| Virginia | 5,660 | 1.4 | 0.8× |
| Arizona | 4,330 | 1.3 | 0.7× |
| North Dakota | 560 | 1.3 | 0.7× |
| Georgia | 6,090 | 1.2 | 0.7× |
| Idaho | 1,070 | 1.2 | 0.7× |
| Montana | 630 | 1.2 | 0.7× |
| California | 18,950 | 1.0 | 0.6× |
| Wyoming | 290 | 1.0 | 0.6× |
| Colorado | 2,800 | 1.0 | 0.5× |
| New York | 9,400 | 1.0 | 0.5× |
| Florida | 8,400 | 0.8 | 0.5× |
| New Mexico | 690 | 0.8 | 0.4× |
| New Jersey | 3,210 | 0.8 | 0.4× |
| Vermont | 220 | 0.7 | 0.4× |
| Delaware | 310 | 0.6 | 0.3× |
| Nevada | 900 | 0.6 | 0.3× |
| Maryland | 1,380 | 0.5 | 0.3× |
| Hawaii | 260 | 0.4 | 0.2× |
| Alaska | 120 | 0.4 | 0.2× |
| District of Columbia | 160 | 0.2 | 0.1× |
Metros with the most machinist jobs
| Metro | Jobs | Median $/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,270 | $28.62 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 9,420 | $29.84 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,140 | $29.46 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,850 | $26.76 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 7,680 | $28.51 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 5,620 | $29.91 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,870 | $34.65 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,660 | $28.76 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,300 | $30.17 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,250 | $35.85 |
Highest-paying metros for machinists
| Metro | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $35.85 | $32.27 | #6 | $53.27 | 4,250 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $34.65 | $31.99 | #9 | $45.00 | 4,870 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $33.10 | $30.39 | #27 | $54.69 | 620 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $32.57 | $28.17 | #59 | $60.57 | 1,610 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $32.55 | $35.85 | #1 | $41.92 | 870 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $32.21 | $34.78 | #2 | $49.60 | 550 |
| Ogden, UT | $31.38 | $31.29 | #16 | $38.08 | 1,260 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $31.34 | $30.76 | #23 | $38.58 | 1,100 |
| Worcester, MA | $31.00 | $30.24 | #30 | $39.55 | 930 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $30.93 | $30.12 | #31 | $41.05 | 2,680 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $30.85 | $29.27 | #41 | $40.14 | 2,090 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $30.75 | $30.87 | #21 | $44.99 | 580 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $30.55 | $27.67 | #66 | $46.99 | 1,370 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $30.34 | $28.38 | #55 | $46.27 | 500 |
| Springfield, MA | $30.33 | $31.56 | #12 | $38.43 | 920 |
Metros with at least 500 machinists. Cost-of-living adjustment divides the median by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100); the adjusted rank is among the 104 metros with a parity.
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects the number of machinists to change by +1.0% over 2025-35, from 288,300 to 291,200, with about 26,100 openings a year.
Of those openings, 300 a year come from growth in the number of jobs and 25,800 from replacement: 10,100 for people who retire or leave the workforce and 15,700 for people who move to another occupation.
BLS worker characteristics, 2025-35: typical education for entry: high school diploma or equivalent; related work experience: none; on-the-job training: long-term on-the-job training. The Occupational Outlook Handbook entry describes the work.
What each state projects
State labor market agencies publish their own projections on a 2024–2034 cycle. Nevada projects the fastest growth for machinists at +17.6%; by openings, Texas (2,140 a year), Michigan (2,040 a year), California (1,840 a year) lead. 51 states publish a figure for this occupation.
| State | Jobs, 2024 | Projected, 2034 | Change | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 900 | 1,060 | +17.6% | 110 |
| Arizona | 5,440 | 6,210 | +14.2% | 650 |
| Connecticut | 6,370 | 7,190 | +12.8% | 750 |
| Wyoming | 310 | 340 | +11.4% | 40 |
| South Carolina | 4,920 | 5,440 | +10.7% | 560 |
| South Dakota | 620 | 690 | +10.4% | 70 |
| Georgia | 6,750 | 7,410 | +9.7% | 760 |
| Delaware | 390 | 430 | +8.9% | 40 |
| Vermont | 380 | 410 | +8.3% | 40 |
| Florida | 8,120 | 8,780 | +8.2% | 900 |
| Montana | 700 | 760 | +8.2% | 80 |
| Mississippi | 2,090 | 2,260 | +8.1% | 230 |
| Oregon | 3,270 | 3,530 | +8.0% | 360 |
| Alabama | 5,700 | 6,140 | +7.8% | 630 |
| North Dakota | 510 | 550 | +7.8% | 60 |
| Idaho | 1,250 | 1,340 | +6.6% | 140 |
| Virginia | 5,390 | 5,710 | +5.9% | 570 |
| Tennessee | 8,900 | 9,390 | +5.5% | 950 |
| Kansas | 4,120 | 4,320 | +4.9% | 430 |
| Texas | 20,310 | 21,300 | +4.9% | 2,140 |
| Maryland | 1,420 | 1,480 | +4.7% | 150 |
| Iowa | 3,740 | 3,900 | +4.4% | 390 |
| Wisconsin | 12,410 | 12,950 | +4.4% | 1,300 |
| Utah | 3,620 | 3,760 | +4.0% | 380 |
| Louisiana | 4,920 | 5,120 | +3.9% | 510 |
| Nebraska | 2,200 | 2,290 | +3.9% | 230 |
| North Carolina | 8,410 | 8,730 | +3.9% | 880 |
| New Hampshire | 1,530 | 1,580 | +3.6% | 160 |
| Missouri | 10,800 | 11,170 | +3.4% | 1,120 |
| Indiana | 16,740 | 17,230 | +3.0% | 1,720 |
| Rhode Island | 890 | 910 | +3.0% | 90 |
| Kentucky | 4,160 | 4,270 | +2.8% | 430 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,810 | 15,170 | +2.4% | 1,510 |
| New Mexico | 830 | 850 | +2.3% | 80 |
| Arkansas | 2,400 | 2,450 | +2.2% | 240 |
| Massachusetts | 7,710 | 7,880 | +2.2% | 780 |
| New Jersey | 3,470 | 3,530 | +1.7% | 350 |
| Maine | 1,550 | 1,570 | +1.4% | 160 |
| West Virginia | 1,690 | 1,710 | +1.2% | 170 |
| Washington | 7,520 | 7,580 | +0.8% | 750 |
| Colorado | 2,630 | 2,640 | +0.5% | 260 |
| Alaska | 250 | 250 | +0.4% | 20 |
| Minnesota | 14,870 | 14,920 | +0.3% | 1,470 |
| Oklahoma | 4,050 | 4,020 | -0.9% | 390 |
| California | 19,200 | 18,900 | -1.6% | 1,840 |
| Hawaii | 330 | 320 | -2.1% | 30 |
| Ohio | 14,100 | 13,790 | -2.3% | 1,340 |
| Illinois | 16,200 | 15,360 | -5.2% | 1,470 |
| Michigan | 22,720 | 21,400 | -5.8% | 2,040 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | 40 | -6.4% | 0 |
| New York | 8,980 | 7,850 | -12.6% | 720 |
Source: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central, 2024–2034 projections. State base counts include the self-employed, so they run higher than the BLS survey count above.
Compare machinist pay with other trades
See how machinist pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do machinists make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $18.85 at the 10th percentile to $38.47 at the 90th, with a median of $28.24. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice machinist make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $18.85 to $22.87 an hour ($39,200 to $47,570 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays machinists the most?
Hawaii had the highest median at $40.58 an hour in May 2025, followed by Alaska ($37.34) and District of Columbia ($35.05). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are machinist wages going up?
In today's dollars the median machinist wage changed by +6.7% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $19.49 to $28.24.
Is machinist a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $58,750 a year, a 90th percentile of $80,010, projected growth of +1.0% and about 26,100 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Are machinist jobs growing?
The BLS employer survey counted 287,050 machinists in May 2025, -28.1% compared with ten years earlier and -25.1% since 2019. Looking ahead, BLS projects +1.0% growth over 2025-35 with about 26,100 openings a year, most of them replacing people who leave the occupation.
Which states will need the most machinists?
By projected annual openings, the state agencies' figures put Texas (2,140 a year, +4.9% growth), Michigan (2,040 a year, -5.8% growth), California (1,840 a year, -1.6% growth) at the top. Every state's projection is in the outlook table above.
Where are machinists most concentrated?
Relative to the size of each state's workforce, Michigan has the highest concentration at 2.5× the national share, then Indiana (2.4×) and Wisconsin (2.3×). The largest absolute job counts are usually in the most populous states; see the map above.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 51-4041 (Machinists). Wages exclude overtime and benefits; job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, 2024.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35 (Tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12). Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.
- State projections: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central (Projections Managing Partnership), 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05. State figures include the self-employed.