Salary guide, May 2025
CNC Programmer pay in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ was $71,310 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $56,900 and $84,860.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ median is $3,190 above the national median of $68,120, both from BLS May 2025.
Direct match · SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
The CNC Programmer title maps to the published occupation. The duties align, but BLS combines employers and industries.
What should you know about new York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $37,200 | $56,900 | $71,310 | $84,860 | $99,870 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.88 | $27.36 | $34.28 | $40.80 | $48.01 |
BLS estimated 780 workers employed in this occupation in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Location quotient: 0.45.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $47,530 | $58,270 | $68,120 | $81,890 | $100,320 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $22.85 | $28.01 | $32.75 | $39.37 | $48.23 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published CNC Programmer median is $71,310. The all-occupations median in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is $61,430. Ratio: 1.16 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.45 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $53,230 | $68,760 | $82,940 |
| May 2025 | $56,900 | $71,310 | $84,860 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $87,880 | $65,830 to $98,460 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $79,480 | $66,930 to $86,130 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters analyzes the New York-Newark-Jersey City region, which employs 780 CNC programmers. This role requires technical mastery of CAM platforms like integrated CAD/CAM tools, multi-axis CAM software, and integrated CAD/CAM CAM to optimize toolpaths and reduce cycle times. The local median salary is $71,310, with a middle band width of $27,960.
This is wider than the national middle band width of $23,620, reflecting the diverse range of manufacturing operations in this major hub. National industry medians for the CNC occupation include $97,710 for Aerospace, $90,380 for Food Manufacturing, and $86,190 for Dairy Product Manufacturing. For CNC Programmer in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
For CNC Programmer in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $71,310; the May 2024 median is $68,760. Their arithmetic difference is $2,550. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. The region has a location quotient of 0.45, indicating a lower concentration of these roles relative to the national average. Comparison metros for this hub are Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, with a median of $87,880, and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, with a median of $79,480. These metros are categorized as high-employment areas. The differences between these local and nearby medians illustrate how localized labor demand can create significant wage gaps within a relatively close geographic proximity.
For CNC Programmer in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $56,900 to $84,860 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. With a mean wage of $71,870, the market data indicates a balanced distribution. Hiring managers should avoid treating this data as a substitute for internal salary scales, as BLS data does not distinguish between different types of machine shops or proprietary software needs. It is essential to use this information as a baseline for comparing competitiveness.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How wide is the middle band of compensation in the New York-Newark-Jersey City area?
The middle band width for CNC programmers in this metro is $27,960. This reflects the difference between the P25 and P75 percentiles for the region.
Are these wages directly comparable to the national manufacturing industry rows?
No, the national rows like Aerospace and Food Manufacturing are industry-specific averages. They are provided as context and do not represent the local wage for the CNC programmer occupation.
What is the significance of the location quotient for this region?
The location quotient of 0.45 indicates the employment concentration of CNC programmers in this region is lower than the national average. It does not measure the pay levels or the availability of candidates.
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