Machinist salary in Tennessee
Median $23.85 an hour for 8,270 machinists, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Machinist pay in Tennessee: the full range
Tennessee ranks 50th of 51 states for median machinist pay, and 48th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.95). 8,270 machinists work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.06 – $20.77 | $37,560 – $43,200 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $20.77 – $29.43 | $43,200 – $61,220 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.43 – $33.86 | $61,220 – $70,430 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Machinist pay by metro in Tennessee
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $19.05 | $28.47 | $30.88 | $35.74 | 1,050 | 19% above |
| Kingsport | $17.30 | $27.83 | $32.21 | $36.54 | 450 | 17% above |
| Clarksville | $18.31 | $27.80 | $30.58 | $37.32 | 360 | 17% above |
| Chattanooga | $17.90 | $24.78 | $27.08 | $33.59 | 730 | 4% above |
| Nashville | $19.26 | $24.72 | $25.67 | $34.60 | 1,640 | 4% above |
| Knoxville | $17.63 | $23.99 | $25.91 | $31.86 | 1,470 | 1% above |
| Jackson | $16.28 | $23.24 | $27.18 | $31.83 | 240 | 3% below |
| Morristown | $16.33 | $22.77 | $26.35 | $31.69 | 330 | 5% below |
| Cleveland | $17.26 | $22.18 | $25.18 | $29.68 | 50 | 7% below |
| Johnson City | $17.33 | $21.90 | $24.91 | $28.81 | 180 | 8% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Machinist wages in Tennessee over time
Table
| Year | Tennessee $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $14.09 | $27.23 | $14.30 | 8,670 |
| 2000 | $15.05 | $28.14 | $14.78 | 10,510 |
| 2001 | $14.95 | $27.18 | $15.43 | 8,740 |
| 2002 | $14.96 | $26.77 | $15.66 | 8,760 |
| 2003 | $14.71 | $25.74 | $15.91 | 9,030 |
| 2004 | $15.20 | $25.91 | $16.33 | 9,580 |
| 2005 | $14.96 | $24.66 | $16.51 | 11,610 |
| 2006 | $15.81 | $25.25 | $16.71 | 11,410 |
| 2007 | $17.12 | $26.58 | $16.94 | 11,600 |
| 2008 | $18.84 | $28.17 | $17.41 | 11,690 |
| 2009 | $19.23 | $28.86 | $18.10 | 9,990 |
| 2010 | $17.11 | $25.26 | $18.52 | 7,650 |
| 2011 | $17.90 | $25.62 | $18.86 | 7,530 |
| 2012 | $18.61 | $26.10 | $18.99 | 7,890 |
| 2013 | $19.04 | $26.31 | $19.03 | 8,440 |
| 2014 | $18.62 | $25.32 | $19.22 | 7,640 |
| 2015 | $18.33 | $24.90 | $19.49 | 8,200 |
| 2016 | $19.09 | $25.61 | $20.05 | 7,580 |
| 2017 | $19.45 | $25.55 | $20.48 | 6,730 |
| 2018 | $20.73 | $26.58 | $20.97 | 7,690 |
| 2019 | $20.73 | $26.10 | $21.36 | 9,460 |
| 2020 | $21.11 | $26.26 | $22.04 | 8,910 |
| 2021 | $22.42 | $26.64 | $22.95 | 8,070 |
| 2022 | $22.66 | $24.93 | $23.32 | 8,920 |
| 2023 | $22.54 | $23.82 | $24.44 | 9,160 |
| 2024 | $23.37 | $23.98 | $27.00 | 7,730 |
| 2025 | $23.85 | $23.85 | $28.24 | 8,270 |
In today's dollars, the median machinist wage in Tennessee changed by -4.2% over the last ten years of data and by -8.6% since 2019.
Are there more machinist jobs in Tennessee?
Since 1999, the number of machinists counted in Tennessee has changed by -4.6%, against -31.6% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -12.6%.
Table
| Year | Tennessee jobs | Tennessee index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8,670 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 10,510 | 121 | 100 |
| 2001 | 8,740 | 101 | 93 |
| 2002 | 8,760 | 101 | 88 |
| 2003 | 9,030 | 104 | 88 |
| 2004 | 9,580 | 110 | 86 |
| 2005 | 11,610 | 134 | 88 |
| 2006 | 11,410 | 132 | 92 |
| 2007 | 11,600 | 134 | 98 |
| 2008 | 11,690 | 135 | 100 |
| 2009 | 9,990 | 115 | 91 |
| 2010 | 7,650 | 88 | 84 |
| 2011 | 7,530 | 87 | 88 |
| 2012 | 7,890 | 91 | 92 |
| 2013 | 8,440 | 97 | 93 |
| 2014 | 7,640 | 88 | 94 |
| 2015 | 8,200 | 95 | 95 |
| 2016 | 7,580 | 87 | 93 |
| 2017 | 6,730 | 78 | 90 |
| 2018 | 7,690 | 89 | 92 |
| 2019 | 9,460 | 109 | 91 |
| 2020 | 8,910 | 103 | 86 |
| 2021 | 8,070 | 93 | 79 |
| 2022 | 8,920 | 103 | 76 |
| 2023 | 9,160 | 106 | 69 |
| 2024 | 7,730 | 89 | 71 |
| 2025 | 8,270 | 95 | 68 |
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.
Outlook for machinists in Tennessee
Tennessee's labor market agency projects the number of machinists in the state to change by +5.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 8,900 to 9,390, with about 950 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 8,270 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Tennessee labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Tennessee?
Keep comparing
Machinist pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Tennessee
More on Tennessee
Questions this page answers
How much do machinists make in Tennessee?
The median machinist in Tennessee earned $23.85 an hour ($49,600 a year) in May 2025, 16% below the national median of $28.24. The middle half earn $20.77–$29.43; the top 10% earn more than $33.86.
Where does Tennessee rank for machinist pay?
Tennessee ranks 50th of 51 states for machinist pay, with a median of $23.85 an hour, and 48th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).
What is the union machinist rate in Tennessee?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a machinist classification for most Tennessee counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many machinists work in Tennessee?
BLS counted 8,270 machinists in Tennessee in May 2025, 2.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.37; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is machinist work growing in Tennessee?
The BLS employer survey count of machinists in Tennessee went from 8,200 in 2015 to 8,270 in 2025, +0.9%, and -12.6% since 2019. Tennessee's labor market agency projects +5.5% growth for machinists between 2024 and 2034, from 8,900 to 9,390 jobs.
How many machinist openings a year are there in Tennessee?
Tennessee projects about 950 openings a year for machinists over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 26,100 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tennessee and metro areas, SOC 51-4041. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Tennessee labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.