Skilled Wages

Machinist salary in Minnesota

Median $29.39 an hour for 12,500 machinists, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$29.39/hrMedian hourly wageMinnesota, May data
$61,140/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.38 – $38.6410th to 90th percentilehourly range
12,500Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Machinist pay in Minnesota: the full range

Wage percentiles, MinnesotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrMinnesota: 10th $22.38 · 25th $24.19 · median $29.39 · 75th $35.89 · 90th $38.64Minnesota$29.39$22.38$38.64United States: 10th $18.85 · 25th $22.87 · median $28.24 · 75th $32.55 · 90th $38.47United States$28.24
Hourly wage percentiles for machinists: Minnesota vs United States, May 2025.

Minnesota ranks 16th of 51 states for median machinist pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.81). 12,500 machinists work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.38 – $24.19$46,550 – $50,320roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.19 – $35.89$50,320 – $74,650the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.89 – $38.64$74,650 – $80,380the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Machinist pay by metro in Minnesota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrDuluth: $33.39Duluth$33.39La Crosse: $30.27La Crosse$30.27St. Cloud: $29.92St. Cloud$29.92Minneapolis: $29.84Minneapolis$29.84Fargo: $29.72Fargo$29.72Mankato: $29.39Mankato$29.39Grand Forks: $27.83Grand Forks$27.83Rochester: $27.77Rochester$27.77Sioux Falls: $25.00Sioux Falls$25.00
Median hourly wage for machinists by metro area in Minnesota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Duluth$22.86$33.39$37.6033014% above
La Crosse$17.83$30.27$38.671703% above
St. Cloud$23.21$29.92$37.184602% above
Minneapolis$22.84$29.84$38.679,4202% above
Fargo$22.99$29.72$37.151301% above
Mankato$22.29$29.39$38.02160about the same as
Grand Forks$21.50$27.83$36.171005% below
Rochester$23.36$27.77$38.262706% below
Sioux Falls$20.69$25.00$31.2216015% below

Machinist wages in Minnesota over time

Minnesota, 1999-2025MinnesotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.39Minnesota$28.24United States
Median hourly wage for machinists, Minnesota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMinnesota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.19$29.35$14.3011,790
2000$16.31$30.49$14.7810,940
2001$16.92$30.76$15.4310,230
2002$17.07$30.55$15.668,470
2003$17.71$30.99$15.918,130
2004$18.68$31.84$16.338,560
2005$18.67$30.78$16.518,130
2006$18.75$29.94$16.718,440
2007$18.79$29.18$16.949,020
2008$19.10$28.56$17.419,930
2009$20.11$30.18$18.109,310
2010$20.23$29.87$18.528,970
2011$20.45$29.27$18.869,660
2012$20.69$29.01$18.9910,680
2013$21.28$29.41$19.0310,310
2014$21.55$29.31$19.2211,050
2015$21.89$29.73$19.4911,730
2016$22.53$30.22$20.0512,820
2017$23.06$30.29$20.4811,800
2018$23.80$30.51$20.9712,870
2019$24.22$30.50$21.3610,980
2020$25.05$31.16$22.0410,420
2021$23.65$28.10$22.9510,540
2022$24.66$27.13$23.3212,810
2023$28.60$30.22$24.4411,720
2024$28.78$29.54$27.0014,910
2025$29.39$29.39$28.2412,500

In today's dollars, the median machinist wage in Minnesota changed by -1.2% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in Minnesota?

164.2kConstruction jobsMinnesota, 2026-08
+4.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025164kAug 2026
Construction employment in Minnesota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Machinist pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Minnesota

Questions this page answers

How much do machinists make in Minnesota?

The median machinist in Minnesota earned $29.39 an hour ($61,140 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $28.24. The middle half earn $24.19–$35.89; the top 10% earn more than $38.64.

Where does Minnesota rank for machinist pay?

Minnesota ranks 16th of 51 states for machinist pay, with a median of $29.39 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for Minnesota's cost of living (BEA price parity 98.6, US = 100).

What is the union machinist rate in Minnesota?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a machinist classification for most Minnesota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many machinists work in Minnesota?

BLS counted 12,500 machinists in Minnesota in May 2025, 4.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.29; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Minnesota and metro areas, SOC 51-4041.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.