The States That Pay CNC Machinists The Most
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the median salary for machinists and tool and die makers – a category which includes Computer Numerical Control Machinists (CNC) – at about $19.19 an hour, or $39,910 a year. Some states, like the ones listed below, pay even more. Sometimes they can pay as much as $47,000 a year, depending on demand. This is a position that will experience an estimated 7% growth between 2010 and 2020, adding upwards of 29,900 machinists to the workforce in that time.
In this list, you’ll find the states that offer the highest salaries for CNC Machinist jobs.
We gathered the salary information from real-world CNC Machinist job listings, along with the pay being offered for those particular jobs. We’ve referred to several sources to collect this information, including many of the more common job listing sites, including SimplyHired, PayScale, Glassdoor.com, and Indeed. We’ve based these results on salary information that’s been extracted from millions of job listings from a multitude of sources over the last year. More often than not, job descriptions will not include salary information, but there are enough listings to calculate the median salary results for any number of industries and keywords.
The number one state for CNC Machinists based on pay:
Sharing the number one spot are Mississippi and New York, where the average salary for a CNC Machinist is $22.60 an hour, which means a salary of $47,000 a year. The average salary for machinists in these two states is 16% higher than the average salary for CNC Machinists nationwide.
#2
Massachusetts and Washington DC share second place, offering CNC Machinists a salary of $22.12 an hour, or $46,000 a year. The average salary for CNC Machine Operator jobs in these two states is 14% higher than the average salary for CNC Machinists nationwide.
#3
In third position, we have three states: California, Georgia, and Connecticut. All three of these states offer CNC Machinists an average salary of $21.15 an hour, or $44,000 a year. The average salary for CNC Machinists in these states is 10% higher than the average salary for machinists nationwide.
#4
In fourth place is the state of New Jersey. New Jersey offers its CNC Machinists an average salary of $20.67 an hour, or $43,000 a year. The average salary for CNC Machinist jobs in these states is 6% higher than the average salary for machinists nationwide.
Honorable mentions:
We’re also including three U.S. territories as honorable mentions for this list. These territories offer salaries that are on par with the U.S. states on the list, however, they would only be a consideration for any machinists who are comfortable with the idea of relocating outside of the U.S.
U.S. Territories:
In first place for the U.S. Territories is the Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands offers machinists an average salary of $22.12 an hour, or $46,000 a year. This salary is on par with that of Massachusetts and Washington DC. The average machinist’s salary in the Virgin Islands is 15% higher than the average salary for machinists nationwide.
In second place is the territory of American Samoa, which offers its machinists a salary of $20.67 an hour, or $43,000 a year. This salary is on par with that of New Jersey. The average machinist’s salary in American Samoa is 8% higher than the average salary for machinists nationwide.
In third place for the U.S. territories is Puerto Rico, which boasts a salary of $19.71 an hour, or $41,000 a year. This salary is on par with that of Montana and Alabama. Although those two states didn’t make the list for highest-paying machinist jobs in the nation, Puerto Rico was included on this list as one of the highest-paying machinist jobs available in the U.S. territories. The average machinist’s salary in Puerto Rico is 1% higher than the average salary for machinists nationwide.
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i am cnc operater and programmer in 1 year exp. knowledge for any cnc edm wedm mliiing lathe
cnc operater and programmer 1 year exep. prom any cnc milling lathe edm wedm mobile n. 91+8960119886
i want a job like this i am cnc machinist
I was in this trade for 27 years, starting as entry level machinist, then up to advanced engineering, with cnc programming, a always had the confidence, to go any where in the world, and knowing I could always find good employment, have all the amenities needed to live comfortable. I would highly recommend the machinist/ cnc machine tool type work to anyone, and advance your ability to get into engineering, to make a diffrence, in the future of our workforce. Thanks FISHINGUY.
What did you mean by “get into engineering”? Do you mean going back to school to get an engineering degree?
I supervise a CNC shop in massachusetts and my employees make $13 to $19 an hour and is non union.
At Smith & Wesson in M.A. us CNC guys average 60k a year… I Thank God everyday for my job.
I live in Houston TX and and I would like to go to school does anyone know any good schools or jobs that trains ?
Lonestar college offers it. And its not expensive.. you should try it.
i am CNC machinist 3 years experience
I currently am department lead/setup man making parts for the aerospace industry,I have setup a variety of cnc mills and lathes.I’ve been setting up and programing Mazak milwith N
Some of us old machinist need a chance to catch up to the new programing.
South Jersey here at 14.00/hr. I’m new with 6 months experience setting up and operating Hass & Fanuc CNC mills in a production shop working with castings. I enjoy it and plan on learning as much as i can so that I may move on to a more competitive pay.
i have 16 years in this field working on all the control platforms mazak,fanuc,grundig,heidenheim,siemens and haas automation want to relocate to u.s.a from south africa what is the best options to take in mind we use the same programming platform as most us companies like master cam.Have work with multi axis machines third forth and fifth axis mills as well as up to 9 axis lathes.But my main concern is to find a company that will relocate me and my family.
I make 26/hr as a CNC programmer and machinist. I started working right after the recession in 2008. Although it is a hard to fill this spot in the US, foreigners cannot be hired because this is still a skilled trade and it is impossible to convince Immigration that there is a shortage of workers in the US. If wages for machinists rise more, that may change. Programmers are plenty, it is the MACHINISTS with vast experience (minimum of 10 years) and good judgement that are required. I believe that the US needs more TOP NOTCH machinists. Some machinists even make more money than foreign engineering graduates. They are frankly needed to boost the US manufacturing sector if manufacturing ever needs to get back to the US.
Where is a good place for someone with 12 years of machining to apply to?
I have been a Machinist for over 35 yrs. and this is a dying field. None of the younger guys want to learn this trade, or get there hands dirty. Everybody is a “programmer” now days. But most all lack the basic skills of conventional machining first to learn the how to run CNC high speed machining. I learned to be a machinist the old fashioned way, and worked my way up to a Mfg Engineering position, only to be replaced by the offshore manufacturing. We MUST get back to basics here first. Bring the US jobs back to the US!
I’m looking for a good place to relocate where the pays is good and the job are great for CNC operator to become a CNC programmer.
I am a cnc machinist with one year experince and 5 months a school I make roughly 55000 a year I love being machinist seems like there is always something to learn and the money is great
Hi guys i am a cnc 5 axis senior machinist and i am only 33 years old. I have 12 year of experiance.
Thanks God i make 64k. A year. Not bad. I love my job.
May I ask what state. I’m in Michigan 24 yrs experience . 7 axis machine and I’m 46 yrs old only making $45,000 a year.
If you are looking for new CNC opportunities in Michigan, send your resume to [email protected]
I was looking to Relocate myself and my family from the UK to the U.S, I am a C.N.C Machinist/ Offline Programmer with 10 years experience and was wondering is the work out there for a foreign worker like myself? I would be looking to move and live in the U.S permanently so not just looking for a work visa type thing wouldn’t want to ruin my Kids future because we had to move back to the UK half way through his education!
6 years experiance with prototype cnc mill/lathe programming and operating. I make a little under 65k as an journeyman machinist at a large defense contractor in the southwestern US.
I am a assistant teacher in the CNC machinist program at a local community college and am recieving my CNC Associates in Applied science this week. I have worked for 6 months as an assistant teacher and have been offered numerous jobs in the industry. I currently live in Seattle, Wa and with my current wage and the wages an average CNC trained machinist I cannot afford to get a home anywhere within 80 miles of my current location.
We want to relocate somewhere where buying a home between 125k to 165k is a possibiliy. One area I have considered is Spokane, Wa. Can anyone tell me an area where being a machinist and owning a home is possible.
I am a assistant teacher in the CNC machinist program at a local community college and am recieving my CNC Associates in Applied science this week. I have worked for 6 months as an assistant teacher and have been offered numerous jobs in the industry. I currently live in Seattle, Wa and with my current wage and the wages an average CNC trained machinist I cannot afford to get a home anywhere within 80 miles of my current location.
We want to relocate somewhere where buying a home between 125k to 165k is a possibiliy. One area I have considered is Spokane, Wa. Can anyone tell me an area where being a machinist and owning a home is possible.
I am a assistant teacher in the CNC machinist program at a local community college and am recieving my CNC Associates in Applied science this week. I have worked for 6 months as an assistant teacher and have been offered numerous jobs in the industry. I currently live in Seattle, Wa and with my current wage and the wages an average CNC trained machinist I cannot afford to get a home anywhere within 80 miles of my current location.
We want to relocate somewhere where buying a home between 125k to 165k is a possibiliy. One area I have considered is Spokane, Wa. Can anyone tell me an area where being a machinist and owning a home is possible.
I have been a Journeyman for 20 yrs, been a CNC Machinist for 7. I have been supervisor for 3yrs, now thecompany wants to hire what I call (button pushers). I’m sorry if that offends anyone nut now that ive gotten production in 89% range amd scrap down 11% for the year. I get the letter the company is doing some changes. Hired my lead man. I just want somewhere new heard of a few states where they still pay good.
How come no mention of Oregon? or Washington state? Not only do these states have some of the best schools for this field but the pay is on par with a majority of those states mentioned starting out? There are plenty of jobs there too, with big ITAR contracts.
I live in Upstate South Carolina and high paying CNC Machinist jobs are still out there. I managed to land a 2 year apprenticeship in CNC Machining with a global company. I didn’t pay a dime for training, tuition and books were paid for by the company. Pay during apprenticeship was a good living wadge and once I graduated with two years on the job, I was boosted to Machinist III and I am now making 59K a year. Something like this is exceptionally rare to find, but these opportunities are still out there.