Machinist salary: how much machinists make in every state
Machinists earned a median $28.24 an hour, or $58,750 a year, in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $22.87 and $32.55 an hour. Hawaii has the highest state median at $40.58, and West Virginia the lowest at $22.77.
National pay for machinists
The BLS machinist group covers people who set up and run machine tools such as lathes, mills and grinders to make precision metal parts. Tool and die makers and CNC programmers are counted separately.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.85 | $39,200 |
| 25th percentile | $22.87 | $47,570 |
| Median | $28.24 | $58,750 |
| 75th percentile | $32.55 | $67,700 |
| 90th percentile | $38.47 | $80,010 |
| Average (mean) | $28.52 | $59,320 |
Machinist pay in every state, ranked
Ranked by median hourly wage, highest first. These are wages as paid, not adjusted for living costs. The five best-paying are Hawaii, Alaska, District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Washington; the five lowest are West Virginia, Tennessee, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Pick a state for its full page: the pay range, how it compares with its neighbors, how many machinists work there and what a business should charge.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median yearly | Bottom to top tenth | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $40.58 | $84,410 | $26.90 to $51.43 | 260 |
| 2 | Alaska | $37.34 | $77,670 | $24.47 to $50.74 | 120 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $35.05 | $72,900 | $27.20 to $47.52 | 160 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $32.34 | $67,270 | $23.04 to $44.87 | 7,080 |
| 5 | Washington | $31.81 | $66,160 | $23.25 to $48.61 | 6,880 |
| 6 | Oregon | $30.68 | $63,820 | $22.61 to $41.63 | 2,760 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $30.38 | $63,190 | $22.20 to $43.63 | 3,210 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $30.32 | $63,070 | $18.00 to $44.06 | 290 |
| 9 | Vermont | $30.14 | $62,680 | $19.55 to $46.01 | 220 |
| 10 | Delaware | $30.12 | $62,650 | $20.05 to $45.99 | 310 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $29.87 | $62,130 | $21.10 to $39.72 | 5,240 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $29.72 | $61,820 | $22.99 to $38.48 | 560 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $29.57 | $61,500 | $21.50 to $40.42 | 1,620 |
| 14 | Virginia | $29.47 | $61,290 | $21.69 to $41.53 | 5,660 |
| 15 | Utah | $29.46 | $61,280 | $20.75 to $38.51 | 3,810 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $29.39 | $61,140 | $22.38 to $38.64 | 12,500 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $29.38 | $61,110 | $19.20 to $40.83 | 4,640 |
| 18 | Arizona | $29.37 | $61,080 | $19.37 to $36.83 | 4,330 |
| 19 | Montana | $29.29 | $60,920 | $18.24 to $39.33 | 630 |
| 19 | New York | $29.29 | $60,920 | $19.50 to $40.60 | 9,400 |
| 21 | Colorado | $28.94 | $60,200 | $21.46 to $40.63 | 2,800 |
| 22 | Maryland | $28.76 | $59,810 | $20.65 to $39.36 | 1,380 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $28.58 | $59,440 | $18.87 to $43.35 | 690 |
| 24 | Texas | $28.45 | $59,180 | $18.56 to $39.94 | 21,700 |
| 25 | Maine | $28.44 | $59,160 | $22.00 to $37.68 | 1,780 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $28.42 | $59,110 | $19.52 to $36.67 | 12,700 |
| 27 | Idaho | $28.28 | $58,810 | $18.49 to $39.38 | 1,070 |
| 28 | Missouri | $28.23 | $58,710 | $21.21 to $40.46 | 8,380 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $28.20 | $58,660 | $18.79 to $37.51 | 6,040 |
| 30 | Illinois | $28.13 | $58,520 | $18.46 to $37.64 | 16,520 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $27.87 | $57,970 | $18.40 to $36.37 | 3,790 |
| 32 | Ohio | $27.86 | $57,940 | $18.30 to $36.79 | 17,110 |
| 33 | Indiana | $27.79 | $57,800 | $18.94 to $35.34 | 14,320 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $27.79 | $57,810 | $19.05 to $37.06 | 12,380 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $27.77 | $57,760 | $19.10 to $39.61 | 860 |
| 36 | Iowa | $27.66 | $57,540 | $21.39 to $34.21 | 2,880 |
| 37 | California | $27.49 | $57,190 | $18.00 to $42.44 | 18,950 |
| 38 | Florida | $27.47 | $57,140 | $19.17 to $36.64 | 8,400 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $26.86 | $55,860 | $19.12 to $42.37 | 1,810 |
| 40 | Alabama | $26.71 | $55,560 | $18.16 to $38.16 | 5,170 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $26.71 | $55,550 | $16.62 to $36.86 | 1,920 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $26.56 | $55,230 | $17.84 to $36.33 | 8,330 |
| 43 | Nevada | $25.51 | $53,050 | $18.95 to $37.16 | 900 |
| 44 | Georgia | $25.29 | $52,610 | $17.82 to $37.22 | 6,090 |
| 45 | Michigan | $25.17 | $52,360 | $18.45 to $36.22 | 20,350 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24.63 | $51,220 | $18.39 to $36.02 | 3,870 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $24.59 | $51,140 | $18.15 to $37.69 | 2,150 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $24.58 | $51,120 | $17.49 to $34.07 | 4,230 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $24.47 | $50,890 | $18.88 to $29.25 | 830 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $23.85 | $49,600 | $18.06 to $33.86 | 8,270 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $22.77 | $47,350 | $17.94 to $34.61 | 1,700 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-4041, machinists, all industries. Read from the BLS state and national data files. Counts leave out the self-employed.
From a wage to a price
If you run the business, the wage is only the start. At the national median of $28.24, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) give a rate of $120.18 per billable hour. Try yours in the labor rate calculator.
Other trades
Machinist salary FAQ
How much do machinists make?
The national median was $28.24 an hour, or $58,750 a year, in May 2025: half of machinists earned more and half less. The average (mean) was $28.52 an hour, or $59,320 a year.
What is the pay range for machinists?
The lowest-paid tenth earned under $18.85 an hour ($39,200 a year) and the top tenth over $38.47 ($80,010 a year). The middle half earned between $22.87 and $32.55 an hour.
Which state pays machinists the most?
By median hourly wage, Hawaii ($40.58 an hour, $84,410 a year), then Alaska ($37.34 an hour, $77,670 a year) and District of Columbia ($35.05 an hour, $72,900 a year). These are wages as paid, not adjusted for living costs.
Which state pays machinists the least?
West Virginia ($22.77 an hour, $47,350 a year) has the lowest median, then Tennessee ($23.85 an hour, $49,600 a year) and South Dakota ($24.47 an hour, $50,890 a year).
How many machinists work in the US?
BLS counts 287,050 on payrolls in May 2025. The self-employed are not in that count, so the real number is higher. The most work in Texas (21,700), Michigan (20,350) and California (18,950).
Where do these figures come from?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, SOC 51-4041 (machinists), across all industries. It covers wage and salary workers, not the self-employed.