How Much Does a Machinist Make? (2024)
Metalwork · SOC Code 51-4041 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average machinist earns $57,590 per year ($28/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $47,640 to $73,790 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $48,630 and top earners making $107,240+.
Yes — top-decile machinists clear $100K in 2 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile machinist in Seattle, WA earns $107,240 per year ($52/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median machinist pay nationally is $57,590 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Machinist salaries range from $47,640 to $73,790 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Machinist Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $73,790 | $48,630 – $107,240 | $49,523 | D | 4,270 |
| San Francisco, CA | $66,320 | $46,730 – $117,850 | $34,905 | F | 2,000 |
| Boston, MA | $63,600 | $47,830 – $89,280 | $41,842 | F | 5,210 |
| Portland, OR | $62,350 | $46,590 – $80,710 | $47,962 | D | 2,470 |
| New York, NY | $62,320 | $44,680 – $93,330 | $33,326 | F | 4,460 |
| New Orleans, LA | $61,560 | $42,180 – $90,530 | $64,800 | D | 670 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $61,040 | $41,450 – $79,640 | $58,692 | D | 1,250 |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,040 | $40,040 – $72,520 | $61,040 | D | 580 |
| St. Louis, MO | $60,850 | $44,780 – $79,730 | $67,611 | D | 5,640 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $60,470 | $46,310 – $78,190 | $57,047 | D | 11,340 |
| Denver, CO | $59,640 | $42,160 – $79,800 | $46,594 | D | 930 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,500 | $40,430 – $78,630 | $51,739 | D | 3,960 |
| Charlotte, NC | $59,260 | $39,500 – $73,690 | $60,469 | D | 2,560 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $59,240 | $40,670 – $76,100 | $57,515 | D | 3,960 |
| Miami, FL | $58,640 | $40,150 – $77,470 | $48,066 | D | 1,800 |
| Houston, TX | $58,630 | $37,790 – $80,510 | $61,073 | D | 7,550 |
| Chicago, IL | $57,470 | $37,440 – $81,850 | $53,710 | D | 10,500 |
| Dallas, TX | $57,400 | $39,170 – $79,100 | $56,275 | D | 4,390 |
| Detroit, MI | $57,240 | $38,600 – $77,330 | $64,315 | D | 9,560 |
| Kansas City, MO | $54,380 | $39,660 – $78,420 | $57,851 | D | 1,380 |
| San Antonio, TX | $53,010 | $36,710 – $81,570 | $58,900 | D | 820 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $53,010 | $38,070 – $74,840 | $55,219 | D | 4,380 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $52,920 | $41,530 – $74,950 | $50,885 | D | 300 |
| Atlanta, GA | $52,810 | $36,950 – $74,510 | $49,821 | D | 2,940 |
| Columbus, OH | $52,790 | $37,900 – $74,810 | $56,763 | D | 1,110 |
| Tampa, FL | $50,830 | $37,400 – $68,710 | $50,327 | D | 1,480 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $50,610 | $35,940 – $78,890 | $30,488 | F | 8,820 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $50,050 | $36,000 – $75,900 | $54,402 | D | 3,090 |
| Nashville, TN | $49,280 | $38,540 – $70,370 | $47,845 | D | 1,640 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $47,640 | $39,950 – $67,820 | $52,352 | D | 4,730 |
About Machinist Pay
Machinists earn a national median salary of $57,590 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $73,790 median, while Indianapolis offers the lowest at $47,640.
Becoming a machinist typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $48,630, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $107,240 or more. With -1% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a machinist?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Metalwork Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest-paying machinist jobs are in Seattle, WA, where the 90th percentile reaches $107,240 and the median is $73,790. The pay-driving specialties tend to be cnc programming (g-code) and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
Machinists earn a national median of $57,590 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $107,240 in Seattle. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
Machinists typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship rather than a college degree program. Apprenticeships are paid (starting around the 10th percentile of journeyman pay and stepping up each year) and combine on-the-job training with classroom hours. Some workers also pursue a 1- or 2-year certificate at a community or trade college before applying to an apprenticeship — but the formal credential most employers care about is the journeyman license, not a degree.
Machinist work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Machinists work in machine shops and manufacturing plants. Work involves standing for long periods, exposure to cutting fluids, and noise from machinery. Clean-room work for aerospace/medical parts. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most machinists say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
The average machinist salary is $57,590 per year ($28/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $47,640 to $73,790 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Machinists earn an average hourly wage of $28/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $23/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $52/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for machinists at $73,790. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and -1% wage growth over 5 years, machinist offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 113,790 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a machinist typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $48,630 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.