TOP 5 WAYS to EARN $100,000 as a CNC MACHINIST | DN Solutions

So many people complaining in the comments about how making this kind of money working as a CNC machinist is pretty much bullshit. Well, you're all correct. This is why staying in school and continuing your education toward an actual career is truly the only real way to get the big bucks. Because the only people in this line of work making the big money are the CEO's and anyone else with a business degree.

what the Job Shop should we heading too ?

Ive made a 100000 as a machinist ! Too bad inflation made it equal to 65000!!

Small job shops suck to work for .....they dont pay .....cnc operator is not a Machinist.....boom

To make a bit over 100k @only 40hrs..you need to be paid 48.10 hr.

Mad respect for doing this ! Fun to see people with same passion

I need to cut only steel. I dont have a workshop. But want to do it at home. I have money but i dont want to go overboard.... what do i get?

Being a machinist is a top way to get:
UNDERPAID AND DEPRESSED
It's not a job, is a CURSE

We do a lot of different parts hundreds at a time

Lol I am a Machines fairly new at it but I don't see a 100k a year one guy has been here 24 years and not even close to that.

A brick layer makes more than a machinists . plus other trades .That's a big problem.

I worked at kennemetal for a little while 😎

Yeah i work on cnc machines. And pay is so lame. And also im from slovenia. One of the balkans...

Reality is, it takes a select few to make this kind of salary. I've been in this trade 7 years and bring in around 100K with 5 hrs a week OT. Using the term "Machinist" to describe the job is so overused and has an "institutional memory" of negative connotation associated with it. I'm on the floor maybe 15% of the time. I manage multiple machinists and keep a pipeline of work flowing out to them in the shop. (CNC Programming/Process development) The key to moving up is to have some natural ability of a self starter, and recognize what kind of company you're working for early on. You need to be multi-talented.... Most guys in this trade lack basic communication skills/academic skills and expect the world regarding pay and benefits. To be on top you need both IQ and EQ. We're entering a new era of technology and global productivity on a scale the boomer generation couldn't have fathomed years ago. If you're serious about this trade and making 100K+, wake up, hustle, be humble, and do your damnedest to create a solid team.

6) Find a setup/operator job for a soul sucking micromanaging corporation in a high cost of living area that will pay you $30/hr with a butt ton of mandatory OT and double time for mandatory holidays that fall on your work schedule all on overnight shifts for a differential, and you’ll hit 100k, but it won’t be very glamorous and lifestyle creep will f*ck you so you’ll be stuck at that job for a while.

I worked in company where they pushed cnc operators so much. Directors and managers had huge salaries, while they created an atmosphere of fake comradery and mastery among cnc operators (just to brainwash them to work more) and then only bosses got huge salaries. I suspect it is a matter of lower IQ of these cnc operators.

Im in highschool taking a precision machining class, Im hearing very mixed views with the pay some guys completely hate it and say to stay away. others love it and make a good living, Ig i would just like a clear answer on it if theres money in this industry or should move to something else

processing large parts in my profile

Thanks for the pep talk, but I am one of those machinist that steps up to the challenge and solve problems. My main machine is a large 5-face bridge mill. When the other guys on there smaller machines have problems and the head programmer can’t answer them, they come to me. Over the summer, they moved me to a smaller 5 axis mill. There I learn that the post they were using for the last ten years required them to enter the gauge lengths into the cam system so it would not crash. I knew this wasn’t right, but I have never ran a machine with a control like this. So I contacted our cam reseller about this and they could not give me a answer. So I stuck my nose the the book, and less than a week later I knew exactly what the problem was. When there is a Job that needs to get done, I will hang around on the second shift, sometimes for additional 4 hours l, to ensure the guys on second have a good handle on things After all of this, I manage to gross 65k last year. I did manage to pull in 65k last year, pretty good for Grand Forks North Dakota, but honestly, I am getting tired.

Thats the problem companies don't want to pay anyone.

What about 124,000 as a Manuel machinist? That’s me! Lmao

Im blessed my dad owns a machine shop, I'm currently learning machining and programming so i can run the shop and expand it one day

If the company is charging 75$ per/h how it's going to pay its worker 48 😂😂😂😂😂

100k a year ......sure more like 25$ a hour if that ......and dont mess up that airplane part is literally 600k

BOOM!!

the way to make good salary as a machinist is to find a shop that lets you do set ups AND programming even at an entry level. Getting hands on experience with setting up tooling and fixtures based off of advanced set up sheets and actually programming parts with a CAM package. The next step is to move on to a company with a LARGE shop or production facility that is grossing millions or even billions per year. The turn over rates are high and only getting higher. They will hire you as a programmer and give you a generous salary. Be aware that it is demanding in ways that you can't imagine.

Very inspiring!

you are an American Mechanical Hero!!

All you american guys talking about your wages is making me laugh. Ypu would all be lucky to earn £35,000 in the uk. Maybe hit over 40 with overtime

I taught myself conversational and then mastercam. 8 years in and I'll be making close to 90k this year. Mostly medical manufacturing. That's where the money is

BOOM

Boom! I want to learn how to do what you do. I 3D print but would much rather be doing CNC milling. How can I apprentice at your shop?

At first i worked at a shop with bad owners just for the basics - when i learned everything i needed immediatly switched to a better one
I did this only two times to get where I am today and been working in one of the best workplaces here in germany since 2020 and am so happy - i probably stay here forever
The ones who tell you that you wont earn money with machine operating are the ones who dont know how to sell professional knowledge and talent

Im an aspiring machinist expect im not that interested in cnc but more interested in manual lathe machining, do jobs like that still exist or have they been flushed out?

I know all that about machining and have 30 years experience in the trade. No shop in my area will pay you 100k a year lol. They think 25 is top pay and great pay. To bad it's a great trade just the most underpaid skilled trade out there. For the amount of time/years it takes to get good at it the pay needs to be slot more. 4 years of college you can make 6 figures a year.4 years experience in machining you are at the minimum experience wanted to start and at low pay. It's sad because machinist make everything and with out machinist you have no manufacturing at all. Machinist make everything we use every day. You can't become a class A machinist in 4 years. Machinist need to go on strike and companies would have no choice to pay them what they want or they are out of business.

99% of the Greedy employers barely pay enough to make a living.

100000 per month or year ?

Someone tell me please which have much demand for cnc operator I have 11 years work experience and still

You won't make 80 grand a year in the UK as a CNC machinist. The money is shite for what you have to do.

Reality: You live in the miserable midwest, work for a multi million dollar company supported by a corporate, you have over 12 years in the trade now and are the only one in the company that runs their latest and greatest 5 axis multi tasking machine, totally re-innovating their manufacturing process. With so many parts cut down in single operations now instead of four, five, six, or more, jobs are flying out the door and money is pouring in, straight to your bosses pockets. You get 54k a year now because you had to beg for a raise over the 52k you were getting.

The trade is dying.

my work before is cnc turret punching machine 2 type of machine. similar to finn power and yawei nishimbo

He didnt mention tool and die/mold making ! The more you know about the components of the mold abd know how to run the plates and blocks your extremely valuable

DO NOT BECOME A MACHINEST OR A WELDER!! YOU ARE BETTER OFF AT THE DOLLAR STORE !! YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD LIVING AS A WELDER IF YOU STAY ON THE ROAD 300 DAYS A YEAR AND FORGET ABOUT THE MACHINE SHOP YOU WILL STARVE TO DEATH!!!

I was a machinist for 20 plus years. Do yourselves a favor and get on the service side of things. No layoffs and you can make more money. Laid back environment too. Nobody breathing down your neck for production.

Sir I need job I am CNC designer

Wow, I was just thinking about jumping into Cnc because of tech etc… lmao I just spent 30-40 min reading y’all’s comments and thank you!! For being honest and it totally makes sense because that’s how it is in every other trade, even if u bring production up and cost down, they just tell you NICE WORK! And ur supervisor that don’t do shyt is eating the big peace of pie… so I see what y’all talking about and it’s sad man… I understand everyone’s points from the bottom of ladder to the top. Top be slowing down machines and not wanting new tech/ways of doing it because if they are on top with control and let it go then unfortunately their jobs are in jeopardy, then the bottom person slows the machine down because they ain’t stupid, they know approximately how much each peace cost/time/profit and then they see their paycheck at 15-20$ so they say hmm I can make hundreds of parts in a week but with me making 7-10 parts pays my weekly pay… then why the helll would I feed this greedy pig even if I make him just 1 hundred parts knowing I can make double/ triple that weekly, HE STILL BANKS!!! and let’s not add that there’s like 5-10 extra machines lol dammmm I was allll into it too reading and dreaming about cnc…. Nope I’m good I’m that person that hates the person on top holding down the business and pay of everybody because he’s content on what he’s making… can’t stand it and won’t place myself in the situation because it won’t end right…

Wtf is making can anyone help me

“You can learn Cnc programming in a few hours”
Yeah the definition of it