Salary guide, May 2025
CNC Setup Machinist pay, United States
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 Operators in the United States was $50,690 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $44,930 and $61,760.
Also searched as: CNC Setup Operator, CNC Setup Technician, Lead Setup Machinist. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9161 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
The CNC Setup Machinist title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38,140 | $44,930 | $50,690 | $61,760 | $73,890 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18.34 | $21.60 | $24.37 | $29.69 | $35.53 |
BLS estimated 169,450 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9161 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,360 | $42,250 to $59,760 | 840 | 0.27 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $45,570 | $41,900 to $48,580 | 980 | 0.62 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,110 | $38,270 to $51,630 | 340 | 0.22 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $50,750 | $45,100 to $61,250 | 220 | 0.27 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58,900 | $47,020 to $64,850 | 2,770 | 0.27 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58,900 | $47,020 to $64,850 | 2,770 | 0.27 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,990 | $38,270 to $60,200 | 3,150 | 0.71 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $48,660 | $42,850 to $61,460 | 5,480 | 1.11 |
Rank every metro for CNC Setup Machinist
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing$66,970
- Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing$63,750
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$63,170
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$62,810
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing$62,270
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$61,580
- Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel$61,520
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$60,850
- Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing$60,430
- Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing$60,160
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$60,150
- Chemical Manufacturing$59,490
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing$57,490
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing$56,520
- Primary Metal Manufacturing$55,460
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 154,890 | $45,300 | $50,910 | $61,830 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 57,940 | $45,560 | $50,460 | $61,270 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 32,130 | $45,260 | $50,510 | $61,610 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 29,440 | $46,200 | $53,240 | $62,440 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 26,450 | $46,240 | $54,730 | $65,750 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 25,380 | $45,660 | $50,970 | $61,840 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 17,400 | $45,600 | $49,610 | $60,300 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 16,020 | $46,800 | $53,830 | $62,850 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 13,470 | $49,760 | $61,580 | $76,780 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 10,020 | $45,660 | $51,760 | $62,020 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 9,200 | $42,040 | $47,650 | $54,580 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 8,090 | $46,340 | $52,270 | $62,270 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 7,910 | $42,880 | $48,910 | $59,110 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 7,760 | $42,260 | $48,810 | $60,290 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 6,750 | $44,220 | $48,570 | $60,770 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 5,810 | $46,190 | $55,460 | $66,530 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 4,760 | $41,900 | $48,580 | $60,220 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 4,520 | $38,890 | $45,920 | $53,150 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 4,130 | $43,750 | $49,620 | $60,260 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 4,060 | $38,660 | $45,920 | $52,640 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 3,970 | $46,750 | $54,180 | $62,750 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 3,420 | $41,700 | $47,400 | $54,820 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3,370 | $41,700 | $47,470 | $54,910 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 3,070 | $40,260 | $46,770 | $56,080 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 3,000 | $42,680 | $49,680 | $60,360 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,610 | $47,360 | $52,940 | $61,850 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,610 | $47,360 | $52,940 | $61,850 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 2,590 | $42,280 | $49,030 | $58,700 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 2,540 | $45,410 | $51,540 | $61,210 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 1,820 | $46,890 | $56,520 | $64,620 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 1,610 | $46,430 | $52,670 | $61,250 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 1,550 | $46,460 | $53,530 | $62,660 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 1,490 | $59,550 | $66,970 | $71,900 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 1,490 | $42,470 | $46,630 | $54,180 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,310 | $43,700 | $51,290 | $57,980 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,140 | $44,670 | $52,220 | $57,980 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 1,140 | $43,950 | $48,820 | $61,250 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 860 | $49,330 | $61,520 | $70,990 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 860 | $48,740 | $57,490 | $61,230 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 840 | $40,650 | $46,070 | $56,970 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 770 | $32,060 | $36,290 | $45,750 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 770 | $32,060 | $36,290 | $45,750 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 700 | $44,540 | $47,430 | $50,700 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 510 | $41,720 | $48,320 | $62,210 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 470 | $52,560 | $60,150 | $65,050 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 460 | $41,600 | $45,570 | $53,590 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 410 | $48,870 | $59,490 | $70,140 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 370 | $45,990 | $51,460 | $60,380 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 360 | $47,210 | $48,990 | $58,060 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 350 | $38,520 | $46,070 | $48,470 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 320 | $40,020 | $49,240 | $59,580 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 310 | $50,140 | $50,450 | $62,560 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 280 | $46,460 | $51,600 | $64,650 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 270 | $53,360 | $62,810 | $72,950 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 240 | $48,080 | $50,590 | $53,420 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 200 | $44,710 | $47,230 | $61,690 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 170 | $50,690 | $60,160 | $64,990 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 140 | $39,270 | $47,910 | $49,840 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 110 | $60,700 | $60,850 | $66,530 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 110 | $39,630 | $62,270 | $73,300 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 90 | $51,610 | $63,750 | $68,560 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 80 | $47,150 | $63,170 | $70,590 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 70 | $40,940 | $45,800 | $74,210 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 60 | $42,920 | $49,170 | $55,480 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 60 | $42,920 | $49,170 | $55,480 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 50 | $38,650 | $42,290 | $45,800 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 50 | $37,860 | $37,860 | $37,900 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 50 | $30,590 | $41,040 | $45,960 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 30 | $43,330 | $53,330 | $66,720 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $39,030 | $41,670 | $44,050 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $52,750 | $60,430 | $61,100 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For CNC Setup Machinist, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $42,710 | $49,970 | $60,980 |
| May 2025 | $44,930 | $50,690 | $61,760 |
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.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What the first hour of a setup tells us?
We often ask a candidate to talk through the first hour of a job changeover. A skilled person describes clearing the machine, loading the fixture, indicating the vise, touching off tools and checking clearances before the first cycle. They mention what they check twice. A weaker answer jumps straight to pressing cycle start.
The order of the story tells us how they were trained and how much they trust their own habits.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a CNC Setup Machinist?
The median annual wage for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators in the United States was $50,690 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $44,930 and $61,760. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $38,140. 90% earned less than $73,890.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a CNC Setup Machinist at a plant?
The CNC Setup Machinist title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 169,450 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters evaluates the CNC Setup Machinist role, which maps to the Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators SOC. The national median salary is $50,690, with a medianChange of $720 over the prior year. The middleBandWidth of $16,830 represents the pay cluster for the middle 50 percent of the occupation.
This relatively narrow band reflects a standardization of pay for machine operators, regardless of their specific setup proficiency or plant complexity.
Industry-specific medians for the CNC operator group remain consistent with the national average. Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing report a median of $66,970, and Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing shows $63,750. Chemical Manufacturing reports $63,170. These sectors show higher medians than the operator occupational average, likely due to specific process needs or harsh work environments. BLS data excludes shop-specific variable pay like bonuses, shift premiums, or attendance incentives.
Regional comparisons focus on major manufacturing metros. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim lists a median of $54,980 with a location quotient of 1.53. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin reports $48,660 with a location quotient of 1.11. These areas have high employment concentrations for machine operators. The location quotient for Los Angeles shows a higher density than Chicago, yet the median in Los Angeles is also higher, indicating a regional market premium not captured in national averages.
CNC Setup Machinists must be capable of fixture work, tool offsets, and first-piece approval, including on-control G-code editing. The BLS classification for this role aggregates all machine operators, making it difficult to find accurate salary data for skilled setup work through general labor statistics. Recruiters must look at local shop rates and shop-specific machine control platforms instead of relying on the aggregate national median for their offer structures.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Is the $50,690 median representative of an experienced setup machinist?
This median is the aggregate for all CNC tool operators and likely underrepresents the premium paid for high-level setup skill. It functions as a baseline for operator pay, not an expert-level benchmark.
Do these figures include pay for third-shift work?
No, the provided BLS figures do not include shift premiums, which are typical supplements for CNC setup machinists working night hours.
How does the location quotient of 1.53 for Los Angeles impact hiring strategies?
The 1.53 location quotient suggests a high density of CNC tool operators in Los Angeles, which may signal a more active market. However, it does not directly determine candidate availability or wage levels for setup-specific roles.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4