Machinist Salary (2025)
Metalwork · SOC Code 51-4041 · 4-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Machinist salaries range from $43,717 to $66,698 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Machinist Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $66,698 | $43,227 – $101,663 | $35,104 | D | 8,565 |
| Boston, MA | $65,491 | $41,082 – $94,077 | $43,086 | D | 8,895 |
| Seattle, WA | $65,465 | $39,703 – $98,028 | $43,936 | D | 4,129 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $64,169 | $40,433 – $94,365 | $38,656 | D | 10,176 |
| New York, NY | $61,662 | $40,074 – $88,467 | $32,974 | D | 7,694 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,339 | $35,585 – $89,613 | $51,599 | D | 3,244 |
| Portland, OR | $57,987 | $34,819 – $81,886 | $44,605 | D | 3,502 |
| Chicago, IL | $57,619 | $35,964 – $89,142 | $53,850 | C | 3,477 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $53,383 | $32,866 – $81,117 | $55,607 | C | 3,460 |
| Houston, TX | $53,304 | $32,037 – $77,170 | $55,525 | C | 2,609 |
| Detroit, MI | $52,203 | $31,414 – $77,293 | $58,655 | C | 2,580 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $52,117 | $32,915 – $75,333 | $49,167 | D | 4,490 |
| Denver, CO | $51,848 | $33,106 – $77,146 | $40,506 | D | 3,294 |
| Atlanta, GA | $50,744 | $31,631 – $76,502 | $47,872 | D | 3,214 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $50,078 | $31,286 – $72,577 | $48,152 | D | 3,859 |
| Dallas, TX | $49,483 | $30,014 – $73,630 | $48,513 | D | 4,128 |
| St. Louis, MO | $48,863 | $29,588 – $72,871 | $54,292 | C | 3,731 |
| New Orleans, LA | $48,371 | $30,756 – $68,199 | $50,917 | D | 3,218 |
| Nashville, TN | $47,887 | $30,640 – $69,797 | $46,492 | D | 4,641 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,841 | $28,301 – $73,070 | $53,157 | C | 2,874 |
| Miami, FL | $47,774 | $29,778 – $68,390 | $39,159 | D | 4,010 |
| Charlotte, NC | $47,451 | $30,614 – $69,815 | $48,419 | D | 3,576 |
| Kansas City, MO | $47,317 | $28,008 – $71,819 | $50,337 | D | 3,464 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $47,196 | $29,274 – $67,649 | $51,300 | D | 3,138 |
| Raleigh, NC | $46,215 | $29,418 – $66,501 | $46,215 | D | 2,148 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $45,745 | $27,932 – $69,449 | $43,986 | D | 3,334 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $45,510 | $28,036 – $65,893 | $44,184 | D | 4,717 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $44,848 | $27,642 – $63,370 | $49,284 | D | 2,727 |
| Columbus, OH | $43,891 | $26,648 – $64,504 | $47,195 | D | 2,185 |
| Tampa, FL | $43,717 | $27,657 – $67,328 | $43,284 | D | 2,900 |
About Machinist Pay
Machinists earn a national median salary of $52,141 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $66,698 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $43,717.
Becoming a machinist typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $43,227, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $101,663 or more. With 6% 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.
Related Metalwork Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for machinists is $52,141 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $43,717 to $66,698 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for machinists at $66,698. 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 6% wage growth over 5 years, machinist offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 123,979 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 $43,227 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.