Best degree programs for Machinists, ranked by enrollment
2 college programs and 300 schools train Machinists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $58,750 median wage, 287,050 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
2 college programs at 300 schools train machinists, graduating 5,031 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Machine Tool Technology/Machinist. The job pays a median of $58,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About machinists
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.
A machinist is a tradesperson or trained professional who operates machine tools, and has the ability to set up tools such as milling machines, grinders, lathes, and drilling machines.
Read more on Wikipedia →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 48.0501 | 3,489 | 69.4% | 228 | $36,566 | $9,429 |
| 2 | CIP 48.0503 | 1,542 | 30.6% | 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 machinists 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 | $58,660 | 6,040 | 1.64× | 13 | 468 |
| California | $57,190 | 18,950 | 0.56× | 28 | 424 |
| South Carolina | $57,970 | 3,790 | 0.89× | 13 | 298 |
| Texas | $59,180 | 21,700 | 0.84× | 11 | 273 |
| Tennessee | $49,600 | 8,270 | 1.37× | 23 | 270 |
| Wisconsin | $59,110 | 12,700 | 2.34× | 13 | 235 |
| Indianalimited | $57,800 | 14,320 | 2.42× | 2 | 216 |
| Kansas | $51,220 | 3,870 | 1.46× | 6 | 194 |
| Georgia | $52,610 | 6,090 | 0.68× | 15 | 189 |
| Colorado | $60,200 | 2,800 | 0.53× | 7 | 184 |
| Utah | $61,280 | 3,810 | 1.19× | 8 | 178 |
| Oklahoma | $51,120 | 4,230 | 1.34× | 5 | 172 |
| Mississippi | $55,550 | 1,920 | 0.89× | 11 | 158 |
| Illinois | $58,520 | 16,520 | 1.47× | 11 | 140 |
| Washington | $66,160 | 6,880 | 1.05× | 9 | 138 |
| Minnesota | $61,140 | 12,500 | 2.29× | 7 | 127 |
| Florida | $57,140 | 8,400 | 0.46× | 9 | 120 |
| Missouri | $58,710 | 8,380 | 1.55× | 8 | 120 |
| Michigan | $52,360 | 20,350 | 2.50× | 12 | 99 |
| Alabamamoderate | $55,560 | 5,170 | 1.33× | 3 | 95 |
| Oregon | $63,820 | 2,760 | 0.76× | 5 | 91 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,810 | 12,380 | 1.11× | 13 | 90 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $55,860 | 1,810 | 0.96× | 3 | 89 |
| Arkansas | $51,140 | 2,150 | 0.89× | 5 | 74 |
| North Carolina | $55,230 | 8,330 | 0.91× | 10 | 64 |
| Louisianamoderate | $61,110 | 4,640 | 1.30× | 4 | 63 |
| Idahomoderate | $58,810 | 1,070 | 0.68× | 3 | 59 |
| Nevadamoderate | $53,050 | 900 | 0.31× | 3 | 51 |
| Wyomingmoderate | $63,070 | 290 | 0.55× | 4 | 49 |
| Iowamoderate | $57,540 | 2,880 | 1.00× | 4 | 42 |
| New Mexicolimited | $59,440 | 690 | 0.43× | 2 | 37 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $50,890 | 830 | 0.98× | 3 | 35 |
| Ohio | $57,940 | 17,110 | 1.67× | 6 | 32 |
| West Virginialimited | $47,350 | 1,700 | 1.31× | 2 | 30 |
| Mainemoderate | $59,160 | 1,780 | 1.50× | 3 | 27 |
| New Yorkmoderate | $60,920 | 9,400 | 0.53× | 4 | 27 |
| Arizonamoderate | $61,080 | 4,330 | 0.72× | 3 | 26 |
| Montanalimited | $60,920 | 630 | 0.67× | 2 | 13 |
| North Dakotalimited | $61,820 | 560 | 0.71× | 1 | 8 |
| Alaskalimited | $77,670 | 120 | 0.20× | 1 | 5 |
| New Jerseylimited | $63,190 | 3,210 | 0.41× | 1 | 5 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $61,500 | 1,620 | 1.29× | 1 | 4 |
| Massachusettslimited | $67,270 | 7,080 | 1.05× | 1 | 3 |
| Marylandlimited | $59,810 | 1,380 | 0.27× | 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
- Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments, such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
- Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders.
- Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
- Set up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations.
- Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools.
- Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, or engineering information to determine methods or sequences of operations needed to fabricate products.
- Monitor the feed and speed of machines during the machining process.
- Maintain machine tools in proper operational condition.
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Mathematics2.9
- Active Learning2.8
- Writing2.5
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics3.5
- Mechanical3.3
- Production and Processing3.3
- Design3.0
- English Language2.7
- Engineering and Technology2.7
Abilities
- Finger Dexterity3.6
- Manual Dexterity3.6
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.6
- Control Precision3.5
- Deductive Reasoning3.3
- Near Vision3.3
Core activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes4.7
- Getting Information4.3
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.3
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.9
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.9
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.8
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Machinist
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Machinists2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 48.0501Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- 48.0503Machine Shop Technology/Assistant
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 Machinist?+
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 Machine Tool Technology/Machinist, which awarded 3,489 degrees in 2024-25, 69.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Machinist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Precision Metal Working. Together they graduate about 5,031 people a year.
How much do machinists earn?+
The median is $58,750 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $39,200 at the 10th percentile to $80,010 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 machinists growing?+
BLS projects a +0.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 29,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
300 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 machinists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Machinist, Tool Room Machinist, Maintenance Machinist, CNC Machinist (Computer Numeric Controlled Machinist) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 51-4041.
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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