Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Machinist Salary in Indianapolis
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Metalwork · COL Index: 91
Machinists in Indianapolis, IN earn a median annual wage of $47,640 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $39,950 and the 90th at $67,820. After cost of living, that translates to $52,352 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: D (43/100).
What Machinists Take Home in Indianapolis
The $27,870 spread between entry-level and top-decile machinists in Indianapolis is relatively narrow — about 59% of the median. That tight band usually signals a trade where pay scales primarily with experience rather than employer or specialization. New entrants can expect to climb steadily toward median pay over their first 5-10 years.
Indianapolis's cost-of-living index of 91 sits below the U.S. average, so the $47,640 median wage for machinists here actually translates upward — to roughly $52,352 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Below-average rent, groceries, and services mean wages tend to go further here than nominal numbers suggest.
With a Trade Pay Score of 43 (D), this trade-city pairing is below average. That typically reflects either weak nominal wages, sluggish 5-year wage growth, a high cost of living that hollows out real pay, or some combination. Workers should examine both the per-trade page (other cities for the same trade) and the per-city page (other trades in the same metro) to find a stronger fit.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $39,950 | $43,901 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $46,300 | $50,879 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $47,640 | $52,352 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $61,550 | $67,637 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $67,820 | $74,527 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for machinists, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Indianapolis are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Machinist make in Indianapolis?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median machinist salary in Indianapolis, IN is $47,640. The 10th percentile is $39,950 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $67,820 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Indianapolis pay compare for Machinists?
With a Trade Pay Score of 43/100 and a grade of D, the Indianapolis-Machinist pairing is below average — workers should consider whether a different metro for the same trade might deliver a higher grade.
What is the apprenticeship path for Machinists in Indianapolis?
Machinists typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($39,950) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Machinist pay in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis has a cost-of-living index of 91. The median machinist salary of $47,640 translates to $52,352 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in Indianapolis
$113,710 median · Grade B
$105,660 median · Grade B
$105,660 median · Grade B
$102,720 median · Grade B
$93,130 median · Grade C
$80,440 median · Grade C
Machinists in Indianapolis, IN earn a median annual wage of $47,640 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $39,950 and the 90th at $67,820. After cost of living, that translates to $52,352 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: D (43/100).
For Machinists in Indianapolis, IN, 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.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
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 Machinists in Indianapolis, IN 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.