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Career

Machinists

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $58,750 Median per year · $28.24/hr Most earn $39,200–$80,010

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Operate equipment to verify operational efficiency.
  • Test experimental models under simulated operating conditions, for purposes such as development, standardization, or feasibility of design.
  • Establish work procedures for fabricating new structural products, using a variety of metalworking machines.
  • Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
  • Diagnose machine tool malfunctions to determine need for adjustments or repairs.
  • Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, or engineering information to determine methods or sequences of operations needed to fabricate products.

Job outlook

United States
1% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 26,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Machine shops22.8%
  • Machinery manufacturing9.9%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing8.3%
  • Metalworking machinery manufacturing7.3%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing7.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Machinist is not usually a straight-from-high-school job, but you can get in after a certificate or apprenticeship. Most people spend about 1 to 2 years in training or entry-level work before they are working as a machinist.

  1. High school diploma with math and shop classes

    4 years

    Strong math, blueprint reading, and hands-on shop classes build the foundation you need for precision measuring and machine work.

  2. Machining certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    You learn to set up and run lathes, mills, and grinders, read technical drawings, and measure to very small tolerances, usually through a technical school program or an on-the-job apprenticeship.

  3. Machinist

    Ongoing, after about 1-2 years of training and experience

    You set up and operate machine tools to make precision metal parts and instruments, and you check your work against the specifications.

Where it can lead

  1. Tool and Die Maker

    2-4 years of experience first

    You build the molds, dies, and cutting tools that other machines use to make parts, which requires deeper precision skills and more independent problem-solving.

  2. CNC Tool Programmer

    2-4 years of experience first

    You write the computer programs that tell CNC machines how to cut parts, which means learning programming, planning, and more of the design side of production.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math classes, especially geometry and trigonometryMeasuring angles, sizes, and tolerances is a big part of machinist work, so these classes are directly useful.
  • Join a shop, robotics, or engineering clubBuilding and fixing things with your hands shows you enjoy the kind of work machinists do and gives you hands-on practice.
  • Take any drafting, CAD, or technical drawing classReading blueprints and technical drawings is a core skill, and some CAD experience helps with CNC work.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a manufacturing plant, auto shop, or hardware storeStarter work in a shop environment teaches safety habits, tool use, and what working in production is like.
  • Talk with a shop teacher or local machinistThey can tell you which programs and apprenticeships are common in your area and what they look for in applicants.

In college

  • Enroll in a machining or CNC certificate programA certificate teaches you how to run lathes, mills, and CNC machines, which is the core training employers look for.
  • Take courses in metallurgy, precision measurement, or CAD/CAMKnowing how metals behave and how to design and program parts makes you a stronger candidate for machinist and CNC roles.
  • Apply for an apprenticeship or a machine shop job while you studyPaid hands-on experience during school builds the 1-2 years of experience that most employers expect.
  • Earn credentials such as measuring or machining certifications if availableRecognized credentials show employers that you can meet precision standards on your own.
  • Join a student engineering, manufacturing, or skills clubClub projects and competitions give you practice working in teams and solving real machining problems.

Tips for getting started

  • Look at certificate and apprenticeship options at local technical or community colleges, and ask shops whether they hire apprentices. Many machinists get their start this way.
  • Get comfortable with measuring tools, such as calipers and micrometers, and with basic computer skills. Both are used every day on the job and are easy to practice.
  • Ask a machinist or shop teacher what the work is really like. Seeing a shop in person can help you decide whether this path fits you.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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