Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a manual machinist
Quoted expert
Miles Free
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and production and manufacturing careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to manual machinist jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for manual machinists.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for manual machinist jobs.
We figured that the best places for manual machinist 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.Minnesota is the best state, and Farmington is the city with the highest pay for manual machinists.
10 best states for manual machinists in 2025
1. Minnesota
Total manual machinist jobs: 141 Average annual salary: $56,126 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 2.13
2. Oregon
Total manual machinist jobs: 100 Average annual salary: $54,421 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 2.42
3. Wyoming
Total manual machinist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $55,835 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
4. New Mexico
Total manual machinist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $58,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.51
5. North Dakota
Total manual machinist jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $49,774 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
6. Pennsylvania
Total manual machinist jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $49,916 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. Montana
Total manual machinist jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $48,526 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.74
8. Rhode Island
Total manual machinist jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $49,830 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
9. Missouri
Total manual machinist jobs: 65 Average annual salary: $51,398 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
10. Massachusetts
Total manual machinist jobs: 111 Average annual salary: $51,416 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
Manual machinist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a manual machinist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a manual machinist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $56,126 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 141 |
| 2 | Oregon | $54,421 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 100 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $55,835 | $41,000 | 579,315 | 5 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $58,750 | $42,000 | 2,088,070 | 10 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $49,774 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 13 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $49,916 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 140 |
| 7 | Montana | $48,526 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 20 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $49,830 | $35,000 | 1,059,639 | 19 |
| 9 | Missouri | $51,398 | $38,000 | 6,113,532 | 65 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $51,416 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 111 |
| 11 | Nevada | $55,386 | $39,000 | 2,998,039 | 9 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $58,172 | $40,000 | 9,005,644 | 33 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $49,676 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 73 |
| 14 | Washington | $54,215 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 57 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $47,628 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 29 |
| 16 | Delaware | $54,892 | $37,000 | 961,939 | 4 |
| 17 | California | $54,730 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 248 |
| 18 | Idaho | $48,065 | $35,000 | 1,716,943 | 18 |
| 19 | Alaska | $57,470 | $49,000 | 739,795 | 2 |
| 20 | Vermont | $46,989 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 12 |
| 21 | Michigan | $46,859 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 85 |
| 22 | Illinois | $47,444 | $34,000 | 12,802,023 | 143 |
| 23 | Utah | $47,068 | $34,000 | 3,101,833 | 34 |
| 24 | Iowa | $45,163 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 54 |
| 25 | New York | $50,600 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 106 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,606 | $30,000 | 11,658,609 | 202 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $42,553 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 17 |
| 28 | Maine | $42,984 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 28 |
| 29 | Indiana | $43,389 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 76 |
| 30 | Virginia | $47,620 | $32,000 | 8,470,020 | 98 |
| 31 | Maryland | $50,764 | $34,000 | 6,052,177 | 28 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $40,531 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 26 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $40,197 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 128 |
| 34 | Arizona | $43,469 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 56 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $40,180 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 33 |
| 36 | Texas | $44,041 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 92 |
| 37 | Alabama | $40,394 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 45 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $48,761 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 3 |
| 39 | Kansas | $40,920 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 24 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $41,772 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 21 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $40,345 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 14 |
| 42 | Colorado | $39,732 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 52 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $38,893 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 18 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $43,211 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 0 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $36,232 | $25,000 | 5,024,369 | 48 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $38,310 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 37 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $36,429 | $25,000 | 10,273,419 | 80 |
| 48 | Florida | $38,937 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 97 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $36,722 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 28 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $36,810 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 20 |
| 51 | Georgia | $37,180 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 50 |
Highest paying states for manual machinists
| Rank | State | Avg. Manual Machinist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $56,126 |
| 2 | Oregon | $54,421 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $55,835 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $58,750 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $49,774 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $49,916 |
| 7 | Montana | $48,526 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $49,830 |
| 9 | Missouri | $51,398 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $51,416 |
| 11 | Nevada | $55,386 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $58,172 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $49,676 |
| 14 | Washington | $54,215 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $47,628 |
| 16 | Delaware | $54,892 |
| 17 | California | $54,730 |
| 18 | Idaho | $48,065 |
| 19 | Alaska | $57,470 |
| 20 | Vermont | $46,989 |
| 21 | Michigan | $46,859 |
| 22 | Illinois | $47,444 |
| 23 | Utah | $47,068 |
| 24 | Iowa | $45,163 |
| 25 | New York | $50,600 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,606 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $42,553 |
| 28 | Maine | $42,984 |
| 29 | Indiana | $43,389 |
| 30 | Virginia | $47,620 |
| 31 | Maryland | $50,764 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $40,531 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $40,197 |
| 34 | Arizona | $43,469 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $40,180 |
| 36 | Texas | $44,041 |
| 37 | Alabama | $40,394 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $48,761 |
| 39 | Kansas | $40,920 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $41,772 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $40,345 |
| 42 | Colorado | $39,732 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $38,893 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $43,211 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $36,232 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $38,310 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $36,429 |
| 48 | Florida | $38,937 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $36,722 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $36,810 |
| 51 | Georgia | $37,180 |
Expert opinions on the best states for manual machinists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for manual machinists to find work opportunities?
Miles Free
Director, Industry Affairs, Precision Machined Products Association
Our shops were hiring, even during the pandemic. (Some of us needed extra personnel as we were suddenly making ventilators.) 80% of our PMPA shops today say that they are looking for talent. Small family-owned metalworking shops are particularly useful places to make a career. We pay well, we are putting in the latest technology, our work is essential (in September, our sales were up 8.4%, while manufacturing, in general, was still down 0.3 %).
Our shops help with tuition and training expenses. Our wages are U.S. Household Median after a few years on the job. The best place to find a job in our field is to enroll in a local community college CNC machining program. My experience has been that an employer will likely be trying to hire you before completing your first semester.
Manual machinist best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.
Search for manual machinist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025