How Much Do Machinists Make?
National median $56,150/yr ($27.00/hr)
Machinists earn a median of $56,150 a year, or about $27.00 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2024. That is solid pay for a trade you can enter straight out of high school with no college debt. Half of all machinists make more than that figure, and the field rewards skill fast.
The range is wide. The lowest paid 10 percent, mostly apprentices and helpers in lower cost regions, earn under $38,100 a year. The top 10 percent bring in more than $78,760, and that ceiling keeps rising once you add overtime, a union contract, or a specialty. Tool and die makers, a closely related craft, already run higher at a $63,180 median.
What pushes machinist pay up is industry, skill, and location. Aerospace, defense, medical device, and semiconductor shops pay well above food or textile plants. CNC programming, 5-axis work, and tool and die command a premium. Union shops such as the International Association of Machinists set scale and stack overtime. After its 2024 strike, Boeing's machinists locked in a 38 percent raise over four years, pushing average pay toward roughly $119,000. States like Washington, Connecticut, and Alaska pay the most, largely on the strength of aerospace and defense work.
Pay by experience
Highest-paying paths
Boeing's 2024 machinist contract lifts average pay toward about $119,000 over four years, up from roughly $75,600, with a 38 percent raise plus a fat 401(k) match and overtime on top.
A $63,180 median, about $7,000 above the general machinist median, for the precision work of building dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures.
The top 10 percent of machinists earn over $78,760. Fluency in CAM software like Mastercam and running 5-axis machines is what gets you there.
Aerospace, defense, and plant-shutdown contracts stack tax-free per diem on top of the hourly rate, plus heavy overtime. Willingness to travel can add $20,000 or more a year.
Washington, Connecticut, Alaska, and Hawaii lead the country, driven by aerospace and defense. Washington shop pay routinely runs above the national median before any overtime.
Manufacturing runs long. Fifty to sixty hour weeks at time-and-a-half can add $15,000 to $30,000 a year to a base machinist wage.
How to earn more
- Learn CNC programming. Move from just running machines to writing the code. G-code plus a CAM package like Mastercam or Fusion is the single biggest pay bump in the trade.
- Get into a high-paying industry. Aerospace, defense, medical device, and semiconductor shops pay well above food, plastics, and textile plants for the same skills.
- Add a specialty. Tool and die, mold making, and 5-axis machining all carry a premium, and tool and die makers already out-earn general machinists by about $7,000.
- Join a union shop. The International Association of Machinists sets scale, protects overtime, and negotiated Boeing pay toward roughly $119,000 average after the 2024 strike.
- Chase overtime and travel contracts. Time-and-a-half plus per-diem travel work is the fastest route to six figures without changing your core job.
- Stack certifications and metrology skills. NIMS credentials, CMM and inspection experience, and moving toward lead, programmer, or supervisor all raise your rate.
See who's hiring
Browse Machinist jobs with pay shown upfront, or read the full Machinist career guide.
Machinist pay: common questions
How much do machinists make?
The median machinist wage is $56,150 a year, about $27.00 an hour, as of May 2024 (BLS). Most machinists fall between roughly $38,100 and $78,760 a year, with pay rising sharply for CNC programming, tool and die, and union aerospace work.
Do machinists make good money?
Yes. Machinists out-earn many trades you can enter without a degree, and the top 10 percent make over $78,760 a year. Add overtime, a specialty, or a union aerospace job and six figures is realistic, with no college debt required.
What is the highest-paying machinist job?
The best pay goes to tool and die makers (median $63,180), CNC programmers and 5-axis machinists (top earners over $78,760), and union aerospace machinists. After the 2024 Boeing contract, average pay there is heading toward about $119,000.
How much do machinists make an hour?
The median is $27.00 an hour as of May 2024. Entry and apprentice machinists start around $18 to $22 an hour, while experienced CNC programmers and tool and die makers run past $38 an hour before overtime.
Can you make $100,000 as a machinist?
Yes, though not in an average shop. Six figures comes from union aerospace scale, heavy overtime, per-diem travel contracts, or moving into CNC programming and shop supervision. Boeing's union machinists are averaging toward roughly $119,000 under the 2024 contract.