51 Series · SOC 51-4041

Machinists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$58,750
Median / year
+4.6%
2024→2025
$80,010
Top 10% earn
287,050
Estimated US jobs

Machinists earn a median of $58,750 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,750, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,200 (10th percentile) to $80,010 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 287,050 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Hawaii ($84,410).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Machinists earn a median of $58,750, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 46% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #18 of 105 by median pay.

$58,750
Median annual wage
Top 54%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#18 of 105
in Production
2.0×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Hawaii at $84,410. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Machinists moved from $44,420 in May 2019 to $58,750 in May 2025 (+32.3%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Machinists sits +7.8 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Machinists (SOC 51-4041) has a national median of $58,750 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $39,200 to $80,010, and the published mean is $59,320. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 287,050 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 488 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $56,150 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $58,750 in May 2025, a rise of $2,600 (+4.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

Ten-year employment projections are not separately published for this occupation in the current BLS release. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as long-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Hawaii pays the highest state median at $84,410, which is +44% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Urban Honolulu, HI at $84,410. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 287,050 jobs Median $58,750/yr

Median Salary

$58,750

per year

Median Hourly

$28.24/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$59,320

average

Employment

287,050

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Machinists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$58,750 Bottom 46% higher than 46% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$58,750 · 46th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Machinists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 22 51-series occupations with growth data, Machinists sits on the slower-growing side at n/a growth and $58,750 median pay. Scatter plot of 22 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270
Among 22 51-series occupations with growth data, Machinists sits on the slower-growing side at n/a growth and $58,750 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Annual Openings

29,500

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Machinists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operation and Control 3.3
Critical Thinking 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Operations Monitoring 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 3.0
Troubleshooting 3.0
Quality Control Analysis 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Mathematics 3.5
Mechanical 3.3
Production and Processing 3.3
Design 3.0
Engineering and Technology 2.7
English Language 2.7
Customer and Personal Service 2.4
Computers and Electronics 2.4
Education and Training 2.2
Physics 2.2

Key Tasks

  • Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments, such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
  • Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders.
  • Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
  • Set up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations.
  • Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools.
  • Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, or engineering information to determine methods or sequences of operations needed to fabricate products.
  • Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
  • Maintain machine tools in proper operational condition.
  • Fit and assemble parts to make or repair machine tools.
  • Support metalworking projects from planning and fabrication through assembly, inspection, and testing, using knowledge of machine functions, metal properties, and mathematics.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$39,200
25th$47,570
Median$58,750
75th$67,700
90th$80,010

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$18.85
25th$22.87
Median$28.24
75th$32.55
90th$38.47

Machinists pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $40,550National median - 2016: $41,700National median - 2017: $42,600National median - 2018: $43,630National median - 2019: $44,420National median - 2020: $45,840National median - 2021: $47,730National median - 2022: $48,510National median - 2023: $50,840National median - 2024: $56,150National median - 2025: $58,750$58,750
National median annual wage for Machinists, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $40,550
2016 $41,700
2017 $42,600
2018 $43,630
2019 $44,420
2020 $45,840
2021 $47,730
2022 $48,510
2023 $50,840
2024 $56,150
2025 $58,750

2015 median

$40,550

2025 median

$58,750

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$14,330 (+32.3%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.8%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Machinists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $40,550 First banked release 399,040
May 2016 $41,700 +2.8% 391,120
May 2017 $42,600 +2.2% 378,320
May 2018 $43,630 +2.4% 384,350
May 2019 $44,420 Classification break 383,470
May 2020 $45,840 +3.2% 360,340
May 2021 $47,730 +4.1% 333,220
May 2022 $48,510 +1.6% 316,860
May 2023 $50,840 +4.8% 290,720
May 2024 $56,150 +10.4% 298,790
May 2025 $58,750 +4.6% 287,050

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $40,550 in May 2015 to $58,750 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 383,470 in May 2019 to 287,050 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 52 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Hawaii $84,410 +44% above national
2 Alaska $77,670 +32% above national
3 District of Columbia $72,900 +24% above national
4 Massachusetts $67,270 +15% above national
5 Washington $66,160 +13% above national
6 Oregon $63,820 +9% above national
7 New Jersey $63,190 +8% above national
8 Wyoming $63,070 +7% above national
9 Vermont $62,680 +7% above national
10 Delaware $62,650 +7% above national
11 Connecticut $62,130 +6% above national
12 North Dakota $61,820 +5% above national
13 New Hampshire $61,500 +5% above national
14 Virginia $61,290 +4% above national
15 Utah $61,280 +4% above national
16 Minnesota $61,140 +4% above national
17 Louisiana $61,110 +4% above national
18 Arizona $61,080 +4% above national
19 Montana $60,920 +4% above national
20 New York $60,920 +4% above national
21 Colorado $60,200 +2% above national
22 Maryland $59,810 +2% above national
23 New Mexico $59,440 +1% above national
24 Texas $59,180 +1% above national
25 Maine $59,160 +1% above national
26 Wisconsin $59,110 +1% above national
27 Idaho $58,810 same as national
28 Missouri $58,710 same as national
29 Kentucky $58,660 same as national
30 Illinois $58,520 same as national
31 South Carolina $57,970 1% below national
32 Ohio $57,940 1% below national
33 Pennsylvania $57,810 2% below national
34 Indiana $57,800 2% below national
35 Rhode Island $57,760 2% below national
36 Iowa $57,540 2% below national
37 California $57,190 3% below national
38 Florida $57,140 3% below national
39 Nebraska $55,860 5% below national
40 Alabama $55,560 5% below national
41 Mississippi $55,550 5% below national
42 North Carolina $55,230 6% below national
43 Nevada $53,050 10% below national
44 Georgia $52,610 10% below national
45 Michigan $52,360 11% below national
46 Kansas $51,220 13% below national
47 Arkansas $51,140 13% below national
48 Oklahoma $51,120 13% below national
49 South Dakota $50,890 13% below national
50 Tennessee $49,600 16% below national
51 West Virginia $47,350 19% below national
52 Puerto Rico $29,280 50% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 361 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Urban Honolulu, HI $84,410 +44% above national
2 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $82,690 +41% above national
3 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $80,620 +37% above national
4 Barnstable Town, MA $77,650 +32% above national
5 Lake Charles, LA $75,580 +29% above national
6 Anchorage, AK $75,040 +28% above national
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,560 +27% above national
8 Bismarck, ND $74,090 +26% above national
9 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $72,060 +23% above national
10 Flagstaff, AZ $71,620 +22% above national
11 Corpus Christi, TX $71,590 +22% above national
12 Albany, OR $71,300 +21% above national
13 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $71,290 +21% above national
14 Duluth, MN-WI $69,440 +18% above national
15 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $68,850 +17% above national
16 Kennewick-Richland, WA $68,060 +16% above national
17 Warner Robins, GA $68,060 +16% above national
18 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $67,750 +15% above national
19 Baton Rouge, LA $67,700 +15% above national
20 Grand Island, NE $67,430 +15% above national
21 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $67,140 +14% above national
22 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $66,990 +14% above national
23 Bozeman, MT $66,500 +13% above national
24 St. Joseph, MO-KS $66,390 +13% above national
25 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $66,280 +13% above national
26 Ogden, UT $65,270 +11% above national
27 Portland-South Portland, ME $65,200 +11% above national
28 Worcester, MA $64,480 +10% above national
29 Billings, MT $64,420 +10% above national
30 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $64,400 +10% above national
31 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $64,320 +9% above national
32 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $64,170 +9% above national
33 Boulder, CO $63,990 +9% above national
34 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $63,970 +9% above national
35 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $63,540 +8% above national
36 Monroe, LA $63,350 +8% above national
37 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $63,330 +8% above national
38 Longview-Kelso, WA $63,190 +8% above national
39 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $63,100 +7% above national
40 Springfield, MA $63,090 +7% above national
41 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $62,960 +7% above national
42 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $62,900 +7% above national
43 Bend, OR $62,890 +7% above national
44 Flint, MI $62,850 +7% above national
45 Lexington Park, MD $62,820 +7% above national
46 Ithaca, NY $62,810 +7% above national
47 Wilmington, NC $62,810 +7% above national
48 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $62,750 +7% above national
49 Richmond, VA $62,650 +7% above national
50 Lewiston, ID-WA $62,530 +6% above national
51 Huntsville, AL $62,490 +6% above national
52 Vineland, NJ $62,330 +6% above national
53 St. Cloud, MN $62,230 +6% above national
54 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $62,220 +6% above national
55 Rome, GA $62,220 +6% above national
56 St. Louis, MO-IL $62,210 +6% above national
57 Toledo, OH $62,190 +6% above national
58 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $62,070 +6% above national
59 Mobile, AL $62,020 +6% above national
60 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $62,000 +6% above national
61 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $61,890 +5% above national
62 Fargo, ND-MN $61,820 +5% above national
63 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $61,710 +5% above national
64 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $61,700 +5% above national
65 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $61,640 +5% above national
66 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $61,500 +5% above national
67 Pittsfield, MA $61,500 +5% above national
68 Anniston-Oxford, AL $61,480 +5% above national
69 Raleigh-Cary, NC $61,430 +5% above national
70 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $61,420 +5% above national
71 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $61,280 +4% above national
72 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $61,280 +4% above national
73 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $61,270 +4% above national
74 Columbus, IN $61,230 +4% above national
75 Lynchburg, VA $61,140 +4% above national
76 Mankato, MN $61,120 +4% above national
77 Albany, GA $60,840 +4% above national
78 Madison, WI $60,830 +4% above national
79 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $60,700 +3% above national
80 Savannah, GA $60,680 +3% above national
81 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $60,650 +3% above national
82 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $60,620 +3% above national
83 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $60,590 +3% above national
84 Eau Claire, WI $60,580 +3% above national
85 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $60,500 +3% above national
86 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $60,480 +3% above national
87 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $60,440 +3% above national
88 Boise City, ID $60,430 +3% above national
89 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $60,410 +3% above national
90 Medford, OR $60,370 +3% above national
91 Appleton, WI $60,350 +3% above national
92 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $60,320 +3% above national
93 Paducah, KY-IL $60,300 +3% above national
94 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $60,280 +3% above national
95 Green Bay, WI $60,270 +3% above national
96 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $60,210 +2% above national
97 Monroe, MI $60,210 +2% above national
98 Ames, IA $60,200 +2% above national
99 Manchester-Nashua, NH $60,120 +2% above national
100 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $60,070 +2% above national
101 Missoula, MT $60,060 +2% above national
102 Spartanburg, SC $60,060 +2% above national
103 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $59,920 +2% above national
104 Bellingham, WA $59,910 +2% above national
105 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $59,850 +2% above national
106 Vallejo, CA $59,850 +2% above national
107 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $59,830 +2% above national
108 Lafayette, LA $59,830 +2% above national
109 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $59,800 +2% above national
110 Kenosha, WI $59,800 +2% above national
111 Goldsboro, NC $59,790 +2% above national
112 New Haven, CT $59,780 +2% above national
113 Odessa, TX $59,770 +2% above national
114 Jacksonville, FL $59,700 +2% above national
115 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $59,630 +1% above national
116 Columbia, SC $59,570 +1% above national
117 Glens Falls, NY $59,570 +1% above national
118 Yakima, WA $59,560 +1% above national
119 Reading, PA $59,550 +1% above national
120 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $59,520 +1% above national
121 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $59,470 +1% above national
122 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $59,390 +1% above national
123 Great Falls, MT $59,340 +1% above national
124 Springfield, IL $59,340 +1% above national
125 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $59,330 +1% above national
126 Elmira, NY $59,330 +1% above national
127 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $59,310 +1% above national
128 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $59,290 +1% above national
129 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $59,280 +1% above national
130 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $59,220 +1% above national
131 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $59,050 +1% above national
132 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $59,030 same as national
133 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $59,020 same as national
134 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $58,950 same as national
135 Salem, OR $58,930 same as national
136 Champaign-Urbana, IL $58,910 same as national
137 Dubuque, IA $58,890 same as national
138 Midland, TX $58,800 same as national
139 Wheeling, WV-OH $58,780 same as national
140 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $58,690 same as national
141 Syracuse, NY $58,650 same as national
142 Logan, UT-ID $58,620 same as national
143 Omaha, NE-IA $58,540 same as national
144 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $58,540 same as national
145 Farmington, NM $58,460 same as national
146 Evansville, IN $58,410 1% below national
147 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $58,360 1% below national
148 Coeur d'Alene, ID $58,340 1% below national
149 Greeley, CO $58,340 1% below national
150 Williamsport, PA $58,250 1% below national
151 Cleveland, OH $58,240 1% below national
152 Decatur, AL $58,240 1% below national
153 Homosassa Springs, FL $58,220 1% below national
154 Reno, NV $58,170 1% below national
155 Tyler, TX $58,170 1% below national
156 Fayetteville, NC $58,150 1% below national
157 Albuquerque, NM $58,120 1% below national
158 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $58,100 1% below national
159 Greenville, NC $58,010 1% below national
160 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $57,970 1% below national
161 Columbus, OH $57,940 1% below national
162 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $57,900 1% below national
163 Grand Forks, ND-MN $57,890 1% below national
164 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $57,890 1% below national
165 Clarksville, TN-KY $57,820 2% below national
166 Lincoln, NE $57,820 2% below national
167 Yuma, AZ $57,820 2% below national
168 Oklahoma City, OK $57,780 2% below national
169 Rochester, MN $57,770 2% below national
170 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $57,720 2% below national
171 Fond du Lac, WI $57,700 2% below national
172 Port St. Lucie, FL $57,610 2% below national
173 Colorado Springs, CO $57,510 2% below national
174 Elizabethtown, KY $57,480 2% below national
175 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $57,410 2% below national
176 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $57,390 2% below national
177 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $57,300 2% below national
178 Pueblo, CO $57,230 3% below national
179 Sandusky, OH $57,170 3% below national
180 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $57,160 3% below national
181 Twin Falls, ID $57,050 3% below national
182 Canton-Massillon, OH $57,040 3% below national
183 Decatur, IL $56,980 3% below national
184 Rocky Mount, NC $56,920 3% below national
185 Florence, SC $56,900 3% below national
186 Yuba City, CA $56,820 3% below national
187 Kansas City, MO-KS $56,740 3% below national
188 Lancaster, PA $56,700 3% below national
189 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $56,530 4% below national
190 Salinas, CA $56,490 4% below national
191 Burlington, NC $56,460 4% below national
192 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $56,460 4% below national
193 Topeka, KS $56,400 4% below national
194 Akron, OH $56,380 4% below national
195 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $56,350 4% below national
196 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $56,270 4% below national
197 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $56,200 4% below national
198 Abilene, TX $56,160 4% below national
199 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $56,070 5% below national
200 Athens-Clarke County, GA $56,010 5% below national
201 Cedar Rapids, IA $56,000 5% below national
202 Beckley, WV $55,950 5% below national
203 Modesto, CA $55,950 5% below national
204 Pittsburgh, PA $55,880 5% below national
205 Tucson, AZ $55,700 5% below national
206 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $55,660 5% below national
207 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $55,660 5% below national
208 Gainesville, GA $55,620 5% below national
209 Charlottesville, VA $55,600 5% below national
210 Binghamton, NY $55,580 5% below national
211 College Station-Bryan, TX $55,560 5% below national
212 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $55,560 5% below national
213 Rochester, NY $55,560 5% below national
214 Ann Arbor, MI $55,500 6% below national
215 Jacksonville, NC $55,500 6% below national
216 Eugene-Springfield, OR $55,440 6% below national
217 Midland, MI $55,380 6% below national
218 Redding, CA $55,260 6% below national
219 Casper, WY $55,250 6% below national
220 Sheboygan, WI $55,130 6% below national
221 Erie, PA $55,120 6% below national
222 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $54,930 7% below national
223 Johnstown, PA $54,910 7% below national
224 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $54,840 7% below national
225 Fresno, CA $54,580 7% below national
226 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $54,580 7% below national
227 Mansfield, OH $54,540 7% below national
228 Terre Haute, IN $54,160 8% below national
229 Bangor, ME $54,080 8% below national
230 Lima, OH $53,950 8% below national
231 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $53,840 8% below national
232 Fort Wayne, IN $53,770 8% below national
233 Wausau, WI $53,680 9% below national
234 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $53,510 9% below national
235 Idaho Falls, ID $53,500 9% below national
236 Montgomery, AL $53,460 9% below national
237 York-Hanover, PA $53,290 9% below national
238 Tulsa, OK $53,260 9% below national
239 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $53,190 9% below national
240 Asheville, NC $53,110 10% below national
241 Wichita Falls, TX $52,790 10% below national
242 Bay City, MI $52,780 10% below national
243 St. George, UT $52,740 10% below national
244 Altoona, PA $52,660 10% below national
245 Lebanon, PA $52,620 10% below national
246 Saginaw, MI $52,360 11% below national
247 Greensboro-High Point, NC $52,270 11% below national
248 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $52,200 11% below national
249 Hattiesburg, MS $52,170 11% below national
250 Roanoke, VA $52,000 11% below national
251 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $52,000 11% below national
252 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $51,990 12% below national
253 Jefferson City, MO $51,850 12% below national
254 Bowling Green, KY $51,730 12% below national
255 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $51,700 12% below national
256 Peoria, IL $51,680 12% below national
257 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $51,670 12% below national
258 Carson City, NV $51,670 12% below national
259 Manhattan, KS $51,630 12% below national
260 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $51,630 12% below national
261 Chattanooga, TN-GA $51,540 12% below national
262 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $51,430 12% below national
263 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $51,420 12% below national
264 Lawton, OK $51,290 13% below national
265 Dover, DE $51,230 13% below national
266 Jonesboro, AR $51,220 13% below national
267 Corvallis, OR $51,110 13% below national
268 Springfield, MO $51,100 13% below national
269 Youngstown-Warren, OH $50,930 13% below national
270 Stockton-Lodi, CA $50,920 13% below national
271 State College, PA $50,900 13% below national
272 Tuscaloosa, AL $50,850 13% below national
273 Birmingham, AL $50,780 14% below national
274 Dothan, AL $50,740 14% below national
275 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $50,740 14% below national
276 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $50,680 14% below national
277 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $50,610 14% below national
278 Fort Smith, AR-OK $50,560 14% below national
279 Hot Springs, AR $50,560 14% below national
280 Wichita, KS $50,540 14% below national
281 Morgantown, WV $50,510 14% below national
282 Lawrence, KS $50,460 14% below national
283 Niles, MI $50,430 14% below national
284 Killeen-Temple, TX $50,420 14% below national
285 Kingston, NY $50,400 14% below national
286 Waco, TX $50,380 14% below national
287 Winston-Salem, NC $50,350 14% below national
288 Macon-Bibb County, GA $50,250 14% below national
289 Columbia, MO $50,120 15% below national
290 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $50,110 15% below national
291 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $49,930 15% below national
292 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $49,910 15% below national
293 Harrisonburg, VA $49,900 15% below national
294 Knoxville, TN $49,900 15% below national
295 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $49,860 15% below national
296 Jackson, MS $49,850 15% below national
297 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $49,850 15% below national
298 Jackson, MI $49,840 15% below national
299 Visalia, CA $49,750 15% below national
300 Sherman-Denison, TX $49,710 15% below national
301 Rockford, IL $49,700 15% below national
302 San Angelo, TX $49,610 16% below national
303 Sumter, SC $49,480 16% below national
304 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $49,440 16% below national
305 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $49,440 16% below national
306 Traverse City, MI $49,420 16% below national
307 Gainesville, FL $49,390 16% below national
308 Tallahassee, FL $49,370 16% below national
309 Texarkana, TX-AR $49,310 16% below national
310 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $49,210 16% below national
311 Grand Junction, CO $49,180 16% below national
312 Winchester, VA-WV $49,130 16% below national
313 Utica-Rome, NY $49,090 16% below national
314 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $48,990 17% below national
315 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $48,970 17% below national
316 Salisbury, MD $48,890 17% below national
317 Valdosta, GA $48,710 17% below national
318 Battle Creek, MI $48,530 17% below national
319 Victoria, TX $48,420 18% below national
320 Chambersburg, PA $48,400 18% below national
321 Gadsden, AL $48,370 18% below national
322 Muncie, IN $48,360 18% below national
323 Longview, TX $48,350 18% below national
324 Jackson, TN $48,340 18% below national
325 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $48,280 18% below national
326 Dalton, GA $48,240 18% below national
327 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $48,230 18% below national
328 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $48,160 18% below national
329 Charleston, WV $48,110 18% below national
330 Kankakee, IL $47,930 18% below national
331 Grants Pass, OR $47,870 19% below national
332 Bloomington, IN $47,850 19% below national
333 Auburn-Opelika, AL $47,840 19% below national
334 Rapid City, SD $47,840 19% below national
335 Lubbock, TX $47,790 19% below national
336 Ocala, FL $47,750 19% below national
337 Morristown, TN $47,370 19% below national
338 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $47,360 19% below national
339 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $47,300 19% below national
340 Naples-Marco Island, FL $47,200 20% below national
341 Owensboro, KY $47,170 20% below national
342 Merced, CA $47,130 20% below national
343 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $46,990 20% below national
344 El Paso, TX $46,880 20% below national
345 Joplin, MO-KS $46,820 20% below national
346 Janesville-Beloit, WI $46,810 20% below national
347 Chico, CA $46,580 21% below national
348 Gettysburg, PA $46,570 21% below national
349 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $46,530 21% below national
350 Enid, OK $46,460 21% below national
351 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $46,460 21% below national
352 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $46,290 21% below national
353 Cleveland, TN $46,120 21% below national
354 Johnson City, TN $45,550 22% below national
355 Las Cruces, NM $45,370 23% below national
356 Kokomo, IN $45,200 23% below national
357 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $43,430 26% below national
358 Amarillo, TX $41,900 29% below national
359 Springfield, OH $37,380 36% below national
360 Aguadilla, PR $32,490 45% below national
361 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $29,310 50% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($58,750 here) and reported employment (287,050 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Machinists make?
The median annual salary for Machinists is $58,750 ($28.24/hour). The salary range spans from $39,200 at the 10th percentile to $80,010 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Machinists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $58,750, Machinists pay is higher than 46% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Machinists the most?
Hawaii pays the highest median salary for Machinists at $84,410/year, which is +44% above the national median.
What education do Machinists need?
BLS assigns Machinists to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Long-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Machinists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Machinists in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
How does Machinists pay vary by state?
Machinists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Hawaii at $84,410/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $29,280/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Machinists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Urban Honolulu, HI at $84,410/year. BLS reports a median for 361 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Machinists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $67,700/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Hawaii leads at $84,410/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.