Best states for a machine builder

Q: What is the best state for machine builders?

The best state to be a machine builder is Iowa based on machine builder salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for machine builders?

The highest paying state for machine builders is Florida based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for machine builders?

The worst state for machine builders is Washington, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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41 - 51

Machine builder opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for machine builders, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for machine builders.As machine builders are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for machine builders. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a machine builder, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.

We figured that the best places for machine builder jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the West is best for machine builders, and the Midwest is the worst. Cedar Falls, IA is the best city in the country for machine builder jobs, where as Iowa is the best state in the country.

10 best states for machine builders in 2026

1. Iowa
Total machine builder jobs: 146
Average annual salary: $42,522
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.47
Machine builder jobs in Iowa
2. Indiana
Total machine builder jobs: 273
Average annual salary: $41,712
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Machine builder jobs in Indiana
3. Minnesota
Total machine builder jobs: 317
Average annual salary: $42,480
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.74
Machine builder jobs in Minnesota
4. Rhode Island
Total machine builder jobs: 30
Average annual salary: $47,588
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Machine builder jobs in Rhode Island
5. Michigan
Total machine builder jobs: 265
Average annual salary: $42,453
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Machine builder jobs in Michigan
6. Ohio
Total machine builder jobs: 485
Average annual salary: $39,051
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.73
Machine builder jobs in Ohio
7. South Dakota
Total machine builder jobs: 37
Average annual salary: $39,834
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Machine builder jobs in South Dakota
8. Illinois
Total machine builder jobs: 411
Average annual salary: $41,152
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Machine builder jobs in Illinois
9. Kansas
Total machine builder jobs: 86
Average annual salary: $40,389
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Machine builder jobs in Kansas
10. Alabama
Total machine builder jobs: 113
Average annual salary: $40,338
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Machine builder jobs in Alabama

Machine builder jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a machine builder

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a machine builder

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Iowa	$42,522	$34,000	3,145,711	146
2	Indiana	$41,712	$33,000	6,666,818	273
3	Minnesota	$42,480	$35,000	5,576,606	317
4	Rhode Island	$47,588	$40,000	1,059,639	30
5	Michigan	$42,453	$34,000	9,962,311	265
6	Ohio	$39,051	$31,000	11,658,609	485
7	South Dakota	$39,834	$32,000	869,666	37
8	Illinois	$41,152	$33,000	12,802,023	411
9	Kansas	$40,389	$32,000	2,913,123	86
10	Alabama	$40,338	$31,000	4,874,747	113
11	Wyoming	$42,686	$34,000	579,315	4
12	Wisconsin	$38,669	$31,000	5,795,483	486
13	Georgia	$39,261	$30,000	10,429,379	378
14	New Jersey	$43,960	$35,000	9,005,644	121
15	Kentucky	$38,588	$30,000	4,454,189	126
16	Pennsylvania	$38,441	$30,000	12,805,537	413
17	South Carolina	$38,678	$30,000	5,024,369	154
18	District of Columbia	$47,999	$37,000	693,972	5
19	Oklahoma	$40,146	$31,000	3,930,864	49
20	Louisiana	$39,600	$30,000	4,684,333	53
21	Maine	$38,714	$33,000	1,335,907	35
22	Idaho	$40,294	$32,000	1,716,943	21
23	Montana	$40,401	$33,000	1,050,493	11
24	Massachusetts	$38,932	$33,000	6,859,819	236
25	Hawaii	$44,410	$37,000	1,427,538	1
26	Maryland	$41,204	$32,000	6,052,177	89
27	Tennessee	$35,152	$27,000	6,715,984	263
28	California	$40,320	$30,000	39,536,653	507
29	Utah	$36,110	$28,000	3,101,833	103
30	Alaska	$38,351	$34,000	739,795	19
31	Missouri	$35,921	$28,000	6,113,532	164
32	Connecticut	$36,739	$30,000	3,588,184	112
33	New York	$39,001	$31,000	19,849,399	209
34	West Virginia	$36,081	$28,000	1,815,857	15
35	New Hampshire	$33,576	$28,000	1,342,795	98
36	Nebraska	$35,143	$28,000	1,920,076	55
37	Arkansas	$34,747	$27,000	3,004,279	66
38	North Carolina	$33,834	$26,000	10,273,419	406
39	Mississippi	$34,961	$27,000	2,984,100	51
40	Texas	$35,458	$27,000	28,304,596	412
41	Nevada	$35,582	$27,000	2,998,039	32
42	Vermont	$34,898	$30,000	623,657	18
43	New Mexico	$35,879	$28,000	2,088,070	6
44	Colorado	$35,636	$28,000	5,607,154	93
45	North Dakota	$35,374	$29,000	755,393	6
46	Delaware	$34,738	$27,000	961,939	17
47	Oregon	$31,133	$24,000	4,142,776	103
48	Arizona	$30,854	$23,000	7,016,270	139
49	Virginia	$32,314	$25,000	8,470,020	153
50	Florida	$29,614	$22,000	20,984,400	336
51	Washington	$30,511	$24,000	7,405,743	110

Highest paying states for machine builders

Rank	State	Avg. Machine Builder Salary
1	Iowa	$42,522
2	Indiana	$41,712
3	Minnesota	$42,480
4	Rhode Island	$47,588
5	Michigan	$42,453
6	Ohio	$39,051
7	South Dakota	$39,834
8	Illinois	$41,152
9	Kansas	$40,389
10	Alabama	$40,338
11	Wyoming	$42,686
12	Wisconsin	$38,669
13	Georgia	$39,261
14	New Jersey	$43,960
15	Kentucky	$38,588
16	Pennsylvania	$38,441
17	South Carolina	$38,678
18	District of Columbia	$47,999
19	Oklahoma	$40,146
20	Louisiana	$39,600
21	Maine	$38,714
22	Idaho	$40,294
23	Montana	$40,401
24	Massachusetts	$38,932
25	Hawaii	$44,410
26	Maryland	$41,204
27	Tennessee	$35,152
28	California	$40,320
29	Utah	$36,110
30	Alaska	$38,351
31	Missouri	$35,921
32	Connecticut	$36,739
33	New York	$39,001
34	West Virginia	$36,081
35	New Hampshire	$33,576
36	Nebraska	$35,143
37	Arkansas	$34,747
38	North Carolina	$33,834
39	Mississippi	$34,961
40	Texas	$35,458
41	Nevada	$35,582
42	Vermont	$34,898
43	New Mexico	$35,879
44	Colorado	$35,636
45	North Dakota	$35,374
46	Delaware	$34,738
47	Oregon	$31,133
48	Arizona	$30,854
49	Virginia	$32,314
50	Florida	$29,614
51	Washington	$30,511

Machine builder best states FAQs

What is the best state for machine builders?

What is the highest paying state for machine builders?

What is the worst state for machine builders?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for machine builder jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

Total machine builder jobs:	146
Average annual salary:	$42,522
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$34,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$52,000
Location Quotient:	1.47

Best states for a machine builder

10 best states for machine builders in 2026

1. Iowa

2. Indiana

3. Minnesota

4. Rhode Island

5. Michigan

6. Ohio

7. South Dakota

8. Illinois

9. Kansas

10. Alabama