Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-4041 Machinists

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments. 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.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
368,510 1.0 % $19.48 $40,520 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.73 $14.99 $18.86 $23.17 $28.49
Annual Wage (2) $24,390 $31,180 $39,220 $48,190 $59,260

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing 92,020 27.80 $18.65 $38,780
Employment Services 23,740 0.80 $16.31 $33,920
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 21,750 13.39 $19.27 $40,080
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 21,590 4.56 $21.62 $44,980
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 19,950 4.55 $20.29 $42,210

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing 92,020 27.80 $18.65 $38,780
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 21,750 13.39 $19.27 $40,080
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing 7,630 8.03 $21.22 $44,130
Industrial Machinery Manufacturing 7,060 6.97 $19.68 $40,920
Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 15,060 6.45 $19.40 $40,360

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 130 0.12 $35.72 $74,290
Elementary and Secondary Schools 70 (7) $31.52 $65,560
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 560 0.14 $31.19 $64,880
Local Government (OES Designation) 1,070 0.02 $30.67 $63,790
Spectator Sports 80 0.07 $29.66 $61,690

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 30,600 2.97 1.03 $18.71 $38,910
California 29,900 2.13 0.74 $19.98 $41,550
Ohio 28,110 5.65 1.97 $18.70 $38,890
Illinois 25,090 4.50 1.57 $19.27 $40,080
Michigan 24,750 6.46 2.25 $21.10 $43,890




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 24,750 6.46 2.25 $21.10 $43,890
Wisconsin 15,020 5.68 1.98 $19.62 $40,800
Ohio 28,110 5.65 1.97 $18.70 $38,890
Indiana 14,060 5.10 1.77 $18.20 $37,850
Connecticut 8,180 5.08 1.77 $20.46 $42,560




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 220 0.34 0.12 $32.55 $67,710
Hawaii 220 0.37 0.13 $29.45 $61,260
Alaska 150 0.48 0.17 $27.18 $56,530
Washington 4,800 1.77 0.61 $23.96 $49,840
Delaware 510 1.26 0.44 $23.76 $49,430





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 14,350 4.01 1.39 $19.95 $41,490
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 12,950 5.08 1.77 $19.49 $40,550
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 8,980 2.35 0.82 $18.05 $37,550
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 8,210 7.91 2.75 $22.95 $47,740
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 7,080 7.24 2.52 $18.37 $38,210
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 6,870 4.01 1.40 $21.35 $44,400
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 5,220 6.54 2.28 $21.17 $44,040
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 5,050 3.65 1.27 $19.78 $41,140
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 4,910 5.07 1.76 $19.30 $40,140
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 4,090 2.00 0.70 $17.89 $37,200