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What is a tool machinist and how to become one
Avg. Salary $56,038
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 1%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.52%
Asian 6.51%
Black or African American 4.22%
Hispanic or Latino 13.64%
Unknown 3.74%
White 71.37%
Genderfemale 6.37%
male 93.63%
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
Tool machinist career paths
Key steps to become a tool machinist
Explore tool machinist education requirements
Start to develop specific tool machinist skills
Skills Percentages CNC 19.97% Jigs 14.77% Hand Tools 14.40% Grinders 10.52% Calipers 7.92% Complete relevant tool machinist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New tool machinists 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 tool machinist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real tool machinist resumes.Research tool machinist duties and responsibilities
- Use of precision tools, calipers, micrometers, and dial indicators to ensure machine tolerances meet require specifications.
- Operate lathes, vertical and horizontal mills, surface grinders, shapers, drill presses, and various cutting equipment.
- Experience with boring mills, Blanchard grinders, lathes, and surface grinders.
- Job duties include setting locators on assembly jigs and periodic inspection using a laser tracker system.
Prepare your tool machinist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your tool 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 tool 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 tool machinist resume templates
Build a professional tool 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 tool machinist resume.
Apply for tool machinist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a tool 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 tool machinist job
Are you a tool machinist?
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Average tool machinist salary
The average tool machinist salary in the United States is $56,038 per year or $27 per hour. Tool machinist salaries range between $41,000 and $75,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do tool machinists rate their job?
Tool machinist reviews
I love the work. Lots of job satisfaction. Steady work. 45yrs with the same company. I love it!
Time pressure to complete jobs. Massive overtime!
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.
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.
Basically you are your own boss. You have a time frame to complete a extensive project and you determine the processes, and how to approach them. I get a really great sense of feeling accomplishment every day. I'm very proud to be a Jouneyman Toolmaker. All the overtime you can handle. Very very great pay.
Updated January 8, 2025
