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What is a machine operator/machinist and how to become one
Avg. Salary $36,271
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 1%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 6.28%
Black or African American 3.91%
Hispanic or Latino 14.44%
Unknown 3.73%
White 71.13%
Genderfemale 9.21%
male 90.79%
Age - 49American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 49Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Machine operator/machinist career paths
Key steps to become a machine operator/machinist
Explore machine operator/machinist education requirements
Start to develop specific machine operator/machinist skills
Skills Percentages CNC Lathes 13.90% Grinders 7.30% Math 6.42% Calipers 6.31% CNC Machines 6.15% Complete relevant machine operator/machinist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New machine operators/machinist learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a machine operator/machinist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real machine operator/machinist resumes.Research machine operator/machinist duties and responsibilities
- Perform trial runs on new CNC programs, working with programming and tooling to achieve satisfactory parts.
- Operate CNC Haas machines to produce aerospace parts for company's like Boeing and GCM aerospace.
- Inspect all finish parts using fix calipers and micrometers insuring quality control.
- Train on a CNC for aerospace machining
Prepare your machine operator/machinist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your machine operator/machinist 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 machine operator/machinist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable machine operator/machinist resume templates
Build a professional machine operator/machinist 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 machine operator/machinist resume.
Apply for machine operator/machinist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a machine operator/machinist 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 did you land your first machine operator/machinist job
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Average machine operator/machinist salary
The average machine operator/machinist salary in the United States is $36,271 per year or $17 per hour. Machine operator/machinist salaries range between $28,000 and $45,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do machine operators/machinist rate their job?
Machine operator/machinist reviews
Some places are straight production shops and there will be limited opportunities to grow in them. When you make a mistake it can be huge and cost 10s of thousands of dollars to fix so you are often on edge.
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.
Meet the customer requirements. Development, Reduce cycle time for machining.
None
No complaints
Updated January 8, 2025
