How To Become A Lathe Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a lathe operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a lathe operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.44 an hour? That's $36,280 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -5% and produce -45,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreLathe OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,280

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.4

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.18%

Asian 3.73%

Black or African American 3.73%

Hispanic or Latino 11.81%

Unknown 1.86%

White 77.69%

Gender

female 11.14%

male 88.86%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a lathe operator

Explore lathe operator education requirements

Most common lathe operator degrees

High School Diploma

51.1 %

Associate

17.0 %

Bachelor's

12.7 %

Start to develop specific lathe operator skills

Skills	Percentages
CNC Lathes	11.46%
Micrometers	10.91%
Manual Lathes	10.30%
Hand Tools	8.91%
Calipers	8.29%

Research lathe operator duties and responsibilities

Operate and programme Mazak lathes.
Operate dual side Okuma lathe.
Perform SPC inpections reports for cus to meet monitoring.
Fabricate metal parts using punch press, CNC brake press.

Prepare your lathe operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lathe operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lathe operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable lathe operator resume templates

Build a professional lathe operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your lathe operator resume.

Apply for lathe operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a lathe operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do lathe operators rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Lathe operator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

Constant Challenge making each day unique and fun. Not hard physical labor but mentally challenging. Constantly evolving skillset in an industry that is always changing and growing.