Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a production machinist
Quoted expert
Miles Free
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a production machinist at Emerson Electric, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for production machinists that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for production machinists. We found that Minnesota is the best state in the nation for production machinists, and people in Las Cruces earn the most in the field.
We figured that the best places for production 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 Las Cruces is the city with the highest pay for production machinists.
10 best states for production machinists in 2025
1. Minnesota
Total production machinist jobs: 853 Average annual salary: $49,451 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.61
2. Missouri
Total production machinist jobs: 561 Average annual salary: $47,357 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
3. Pennsylvania
Total production machinist jobs: 939 Average annual salary: $45,820 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Washington
Total production machinist jobs: 484 Average annual salary: $49,948 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
5. Nevada
Total production machinist jobs: 161 Average annual salary: $45,836 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
6. Oregon
Total production machinist jobs: 394 Average annual salary: $45,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. Iowa
Total production machinist jobs: 509 Average annual salary: $41,089 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.76
8. New Mexico
Total production machinist jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $50,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
9. Vermont
Total production machinist jobs: 79 Average annual salary: $42,175 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
10. Michigan
Total production machinist jobs: 839 Average annual salary: $40,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
Production machinist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a production machinist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a production machinist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $49,451 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 853 |
| 2 | Missouri | $47,357 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 561 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $45,820 | $31,000 | 12,805,537 | 939 |
| 4 | Washington | $49,948 | $38,000 | 7,405,743 | 484 |
| 5 | Nevada | $45,836 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 161 |
| 6 | Oregon | $45,468 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 394 |
| 7 | Iowa | $41,089 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 509 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $50,789 | $38,000 | 2,088,070 | 86 |
| 9 | Vermont | $42,175 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 79 |
| 10 | Michigan | $40,911 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 839 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $47,870 | $36,000 | 579,315 | 27 |
| 12 | Illinois | $42,554 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,171 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $41,492 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 176 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $48,987 | $34,000 | 9,005,644 | 409 |
| 15 | Delaware | $46,840 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 62 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $42,771 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 66 |
| 17 | Indiana | $39,418 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 864 |
| 18 | Maine | $39,400 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 158 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $43,705 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 589 |
| 20 | Alaska | $46,005 | $39,000 | 739,795 | 20 |
| 21 | Utah | $39,236 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 298 |
| 22 | Idaho | $39,384 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 146 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $37,810 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 216 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $41,388 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 250 |
| 25 | Alabama | $38,263 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 332 |
| 26 | Montana | $39,401 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 81 |
| 27 | Texas | $39,738 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,145 |
| 28 | Kansas | $37,435 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 307 |
| 29 | New York | $42,461 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 738 |
| 30 | Maryland | $43,268 | $29,000 | 6,052,177 | 350 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $39,443 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 73 |
| 32 | Virginia | $41,092 | $28,000 | 8,470,020 | 607 |
| 33 | Ohio | $36,057 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,230 |
| 34 | Colorado | $39,581 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 395 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $37,490 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 67 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $35,700 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 853 |
| 37 | California | $39,227 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,294 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $35,786 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 119 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $36,796 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 215 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $38,479 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 135 |
| 41 | Arizona | $37,146 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 460 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $41,744 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 37 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $35,595 | $26,000 | 6,715,984 | 477 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $33,919 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 501 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $41,543 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 16 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $35,921 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 151 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,935 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 916 |
| 48 | Georgia | $35,228 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 764 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $34,297 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 327 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $33,445 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 635 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $33,415 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 140 |
Highest paying states for production machinists
| Rank | State | Avg. Production Machinist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $49,451 |
| 2 | Missouri | $47,357 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $45,820 |
| 4 | Washington | $49,948 |
| 5 | Nevada | $45,836 |
| 6 | Oregon | $45,468 |
| 7 | Iowa | $41,089 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $50,789 |
| 9 | Vermont | $42,175 |
| 10 | Michigan | $40,911 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $47,870 |
| 12 | Illinois | $42,554 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $41,492 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $48,987 |
| 15 | Delaware | $46,840 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $42,771 |
| 17 | Indiana | $39,418 |
| 18 | Maine | $39,400 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $43,705 |
| 20 | Alaska | $46,005 |
| 21 | Utah | $39,236 |
| 22 | Idaho | $39,384 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $37,810 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $41,388 |
| 25 | Alabama | $38,263 |
| 26 | Montana | $39,401 |
| 27 | Texas | $39,738 |
| 28 | Kansas | $37,435 |
| 29 | New York | $42,461 |
| 30 | Maryland | $43,268 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $39,443 |
| 32 | Virginia | $41,092 |
| 33 | Ohio | $36,057 |
| 34 | Colorado | $39,581 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $37,490 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $35,700 |
| 37 | California | $39,227 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $35,786 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $36,796 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $38,479 |
| 41 | Arizona | $37,146 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $41,744 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $35,595 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $33,919 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $41,543 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $35,921 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,935 |
| 48 | Georgia | $35,228 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $34,297 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $33,445 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $33,415 |
Expert opinions on the best states for production machinists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for production 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.
Production machinist best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.
Search for production machinist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025