Best degree programs for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators, ranked by enrollment
2 college programs and 225 schools train Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $50,690 median wage, 169,450 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
2 college programs at 225 schools train computer numerically controlled tool operators, graduating 3,790 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist. The job pays a median of $50,690 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About computer numerically controlled tool operators
Operate computer-controlled tools, machines, or robots to machine or process parts, tools, or other work pieces made of metal, plastic, wood, stone, or other materials. May also set up and maintain equipment.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
2 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 48.0510 | 2,248 | 59.3% | 166 | $36,566 | $9,429 |
| 2 | CIP 48.0503 | 1,542 | 40.7% | 87 | $36,566 | $9,429 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What computer numerically controlled tool operators earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $49,180 | 1,740 | 0.80× | 13 | 468 |
| North Carolina | $50,440 | 3,680 | 0.68× | 33 | 412 |
| Illinois | $48,420 | 8,170 | 1.23× | 13 | 390 |
| Georgia | $47,630 | 2,200 | 0.41× | 15 | 342 |
| Wisconsin | $52,690 | 8,330 | 2.60× | 10 | 290 |
| Indianalimited | $48,590 | 9,690 | 2.78× | 2 | 207 |
| Minnesota | $56,780 | 4,290 | 1.33× | 10 | 198 |
| Florida | $46,170 | 4,040 | 0.37× | 14 | 154 |
| Connecticutlimited | $59,840 | 2,740 | 1.48× | 2 | 143 |
| Texas | $48,480 | 13,190 | 0.86× | 7 | 136 |
| Oklahoma | $47,760 | 1,490 | 0.80× | 11 | 114 |
| Alabamamoderate | $52,380 | 3,120 | 1.36× | 4 | 110 |
| Iowa | $52,300 | 4,750 | 2.79× | 6 | 92 |
| South Carolina | $51,800 | 2,460 | 0.98× | 6 | 74 |
| Colorado | $55,270 | 1,580 | 0.51× | 6 | 64 |
| New York | $53,340 | 5,530 | 0.52× | 6 | 64 |
| Michigan | $47,250 | 7,330 | 1.53× | 8 | 62 |
| Arkansas | $50,280 | 2,180 | 1.54× | 5 | 59 |
| Missourilimited | $51,000 | 1,500 | 0.47× | 2 | 52 |
| Ohio | $49,160 | 21,250 | 3.51× | 7 | 50 |
| Oregon | $56,670 | 2,920 | 1.36× | 5 | 44 |
| Utahmoderate | $45,140 | 1,170 | 0.62× | 3 | 33 |
| West Virginialimited | $49,630 | 160 | 0.20× | 2 | 33 |
| New Jerseylimited | $54,100 | 1,770 | 0.38× | 1 | 32 |
| Arizonamoderate | $48,950 | 1,800 | 0.51× | 3 | 23 |
| Tennesseemoderate | $49,980 | 1,980 | 0.55× | 4 | 23 |
| Montanamoderate | $51,880 | 240 | 0.44× | 3 | 21 |
| Washingtonmoderate | $107,920 | 2,270 | 0.59× | 4 | 17 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $57,390 | 540 | 0.98× | 1 | 14 |
| Nevadamoderate | $46,670 | 400 | 0.24× | 3 | 13 |
| Pennsylvaniamoderate | $54,590 | 7,840 | 1.19× | 4 | 13 |
| Idaholimited | $53,340 | 480 | 0.51× | 2 | 11 |
| Wyominglimited | $54,170 | 60 | 0.20× | 1 | 8 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $59,730 | 1,770 | 2.37× | 2 | 7 |
| Massachusettslimited | $61,630 | 2,500 | 0.63× | 2 | 4 |
| Nebraskalimited | $49,360 | 830 | 0.75× | 1 | 4 |
| Mainelimited | $59,660 | 440 | 0.63× | 2 | 3 |
| Marylandlimited | $46,870 | 1,800 | 0.60× | 1 | 1 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Measure dimensions of finished workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments, templates, and fixtures.
- Set up and operate computer-controlled machines or robots to perform one or more machine functions on metal or plastic workpieces.
- Mount, install, align, and secure tools, attachments, fixtures, and workpieces on machines, using hand tools and precision measuring instruments.
- Review program specifications or blueprints to determine and set machine operations and sequencing, finished workpiece dimensions, or numerical control sequences.
- Stop machines to remove finished workpieces or to change tooling, setup, or workpiece placement, according to required machining sequences.
- Listen to machines during operation to detect sounds such as those made by dull cutting tools or excessive vibration, and adjust machines to compensate for problems.
- Implement changes to machine programs, and enter new specifications, using computers.
- Calculate machine speed and feed ratios and the size and position of cuts.
Skills
- Monitoring3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Mathematics2.8
- Writing2.6
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics4.2
- Production and Processing4.0
- Mechanical3.8
- English Language3.3
- Engineering and Technology3.3
- Education and Training3.1
Abilities
- Near Vision3.8
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.8
- Problem Sensitivity3.6
- Information Ordering3.6
- Control Precision3.5
- Reaction Time3.5
Core activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes4.6
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.3
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.1
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.0
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.9
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.8
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator
Job zone 2 of 5 · SVP Below 6.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 48.0503Machine Shop Technology/Assistant
- 48.0510Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist, which awarded 2,248 degrees in 2024-25, 59.3% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Precision Metal Working. Together they graduate about 3,790 people a year.
How much do computer numerically controlled tool operators earn?+
The median is $50,690 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $38,140 at the 10th percentile to $73,890 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer numerically controlled tool operators growing?+
BLS projects a -10.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 13,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
225 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer numerically controlled tool operators work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Machine Operator, CNC Operator (Computer Numerical Control Operator), CNC Machinist (Computer Numerical Control Machinist), CNC Machine Operator (Computer Numerical Control Machine Operator) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 51-9161.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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