CNC Machinist
Programs and runs machines that cut parts to thousandths of an inch. Tolerance, fixturing and tooling knowledge compound for decades.
- Pay band (est.)
- $56k–$79k
- Time to competence
- 4 years
- Licence
- None
- Setting
- site
- Leverage
- medium
- Place constraint
- medium
- Physical demand
- 55/100
- Hours burden
- 52/100
Factor percentiles
Percentile against the whole curated set. Higher is better on that factor only.
- Play33th
Absorbing rather than merely paid.
- Specific knowledge22th
A combination of skills that is hard to copy.
- Leverage49th
Output that scales through code, media, capital or crew.
- Demand25th
Durability and shortage, scored conservatively.
- Pay17th
Mid-career floor and the range above it.
- Body46th
Inverse of physical demand and hours.
- Autonomy42th
Control of methods and time.
- People fit24th
Distance from your preferred people level.
- Place flexibility28th
Remote fit and freedom from specific metros.
- Time to skill79th
Inverse of years to competence.
- Meaning load50th
Closeness to the families you marked as meaningful. Your mapping, not ours.
- Downside tolerance49th
Inverse of named risk to body, market or platform.
Downside
Shift work; shops close when a single large customer leaves.
Examine this against your weights
The percentiles above use the default weights. Set your own on the ranking and this vocation moves with them.
- Place constraint is medium. Where you live is analysed at locationistics.com.
- Hours burden is 52/100 and people intensity 25/100. Who you are with is analysed at relationistics.com.
Source note: BLS OEWS May 2024, Machinists (51-4041): median $56,150, 90th percentile $78,760. Outlook from BLS 2025-35 projections, +1.0%. Other scores editorial. All figures are estimates for comparison.