Explore
CNC & manual
Machinist
Working to a thousandth of an inch, all day.
Typical pay
$45k-$90k
How you get in
1-2 year program or apprenticeship
Outlook
Strong; skilled machinists are genuinely scarce
Machinists cut metal to precise specifications using manual and CNC equipment. Modern shops run on programming and setup skill more than hand cranking, and the good money is in being able to do both.
A day in the life
- 6:00aShift handover, check the machines running overnight
- 6:30aSet up a job — fixtures, tooling, offsets
- 9:00aFirst article inspection with calipers and micrometers
- 11:30aLunch
- 12:00pRun production, monitor tool wear
- 3:00pProgram the next job at the control
How to get in
Technical college program
Duration
1-2 years
Cost
$5,000-$25,000
Credential
NIMS certifications
- Complete a machining or CNC technology program
- Earn NIMS credentials in measurement, turning and milling
- Start as a machine operator or setup tech
- Learn programming — that is where the pay jump is
Operator to machinist
Duration
2-5 years
Cost
$0
Credential
NIMS earned on the job
- Get hired as a machine operator loading parts
- Learn to read prints and use precision measuring tools
- Take setups when the shop is short-handed
- Move to setup, then programming
Apprenticeship
Duration
4 years
Cost
$0 — paid while you train
Credential
Journeyman machinist
- Enter a registered machinist apprenticeship at a manufacturer
- Rotate through manual, CNC, grinding and inspection
- Complete classroom instruction alongside
- Come out with a journeyman card and no debt
What people love
- · Strong pay with a 1-2 year credential
- · Precision work that rewards patience
- · Aerospace and medical work pays a premium
- · Air-conditioned shops, unlike most trades
What wears people down
- · Standing at a machine all shift
- · Coolant, metal chips and noise
- · Night shifts are common early on
- · Offshoring pressure on commodity parts