Details Report for:
51-4041.00 - Machinists
Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.
Sample of reported job titles: CNC Machinist (Computer Numeric Controlled Machinist), CNC Machinist (Computer Numerically Controlled Machinist), Gear Machinist, Machine Repair Person, Machinist, Maintenance Machinist, Manual Lathe Machinist, Production Machinist, Tool Room Machinist
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Technology Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Analytical or scientific software — Armchair Machinist software; CNC Consulting Machinists' Calculator; Kentech Kipware Trig Kalculator
- Computer aided design CAD software
— Autodesk AutoCAD
; Dassault Systemes CATIA; PTC Creo Parametric; SolidCAM (see all 8 examples)
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software — Autodesk Fusion 360; CNC Mastercam; GRZ Software MeshCAM; OneCNC CAD/CAM (see all 9 examples)
- Electronic mail software — Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
— ERP software; JobBOSS; SAP
- Industrial control software — EditCNC; Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
- Procedure management software — Hexagon Metrology PC-DMIS
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Adjustable angle plate — Angle plates
- Adjustable wrenches
- Angle cutter — Undercut tools
- Anvils
- Arbors — Grinding wheel arbors
- Ball peen hammer — Ball peen hammers
- Bench dog — Grinding dogs
- Bench vises — Milling vises
- Binocular light compound microscopes
- Blow torch — Torches
- Boring machines — Boring bars; Boring tools; Horizontal boring bars
- Calipers — Dial calipers; Hermaphrodite calipers; Outside spring calipers; Vernier calipers (see all 6 examples)
- Casting machines — Centrifugal spin casters
- Center gauge — Edge finders
- Chamfering machine — Chamfer tools
- Chucks
- Cold chisels — Square chisels
- Column and knee milling machine — Knee mills
- Combination pliers
- Combination wrenches
- Coordinate measuring machines CMM
- Cylinder gauge — Ring gauges
- Deburring tool — Deburring tools
- Desktop computers
- Dial indicator or dial gauge — Dial indicators
- Double ended stud — Shims
- Drill press or radial drill — Radial drill presses; Radial drills; Sensitive drill presses
- Drilling machines — Center drills; Pillar drill machines
- End cut pliers — Side cutting pliers
- Facial shields — Full face shields
- Feeler gauges — Angled feeler gauges
- Flat hand file — Flat files
- Forklifts
- Gage block set — Marking blocks; Parallel blocks; V blocks
- Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus — Oxyacetylene welding equipment
- Grinders
- Grinding machines — Crankshaft grinders; Valve grinding machines
- Hacksaw — Hacksaws; Power hacksaws
- Half round file — Half-round files
- Hammers — Brass hammers; Composition hammers; Machinists' hammers
- Hand clamps
- Hand reamer — Reamers
- Height gauges — Gauges; Planer gauges; Vernier height gauges
- Hex keys — Hex wrenches
- Honing machine — Resurfacing machines
- Horizontal machining center — Horizontal mills
- Horizontal turning center — Drum lathes; Engine lathes; Flywheel lathes; Turning lathes (see all 6 examples)
- Hydraulic press frames — Hydraulic presses
- Induction heating machine — Heat-treating equipment
- Ladders
- Laser printers
- Levels — Spirit levels
- Locking pliers — Channel lock pliers
- Machine end mill — Milling angle form cutters
- Magnetic tools — Magnetic retrievers
- Manual press brake — Arbor presses; Brake presses
- Metal band sawing machine — Bandsaws
- Metal broaching machines — Broachers
- Metal cutters — Aviation snips
- Metal inert gas welding machine — Metal inert gas MIG welders
- Micrometers — Inside micrometers; Outside micrometers
- Mill saw file — Single-cut mill saw files
- Milling machines — Computerized numerical control CNC machining centers
- Multi-tasking or universal machining center — Multi-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
- Needlenose pliers
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers — Personal digital assistants PDA
- Pipe wrenches
- Pitch measuring instruments — Screw pitch gauges
- Planing machines — Planers
- Plasma arc welding machine — Plasma welders
- Platform lift — Platforms; Staging equipment
- Pneumatic sanding machines — Sandblasters
- Power buffers — Buffers
- Power chippers — Chippers
- Power drills — Combination drills
- Power grinders — Cylindrical grinders
- Power planes — Jointers
- Power sanders
- Power saws — Cold saws; Cutoff saws
- Protractors — Vernier bevel protractors
- Pry bars
- Punches or nail sets or drifts — Prick punches; Punches
- Putty knives
- Radius gauge — Radius gauges
- Ratchets — Ratchet sets
- Rubber mallet — Rubber mallets
- Rulers — Steel rules
- Safety glasses — Welding lenses
- Saws — Hand saws
- Screwdrivers — Phillips head screwdrivers; Spindle blade screwdrivers
- Scribers
- Shaper cutter — Shapers
- Sharpening stones or tools or kits — Cylinder honers; Sharpening equipment
- Shears — Beverly shears; Metal shears
- Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine — Shielded arc welding tools
- Sine bar — Sine bars
- Sledge hammer — Sledgehammers
- Slings — Machine shop rigging equipment
- Socket sets — Socket wrench sets
- Spot welding machine — Handheld welders; Portable welding equipment
- Squares — Machinists' squares
- Surface gauge — Surface gauges
- Surface grinding machine — Surface grinding machines
- Swaging tools
- Taps — Metal cutting taps
- Telescoping gauge — Telescoping gauges
- Thermal spray machine — Metal spray equipment
- Thread counters or gauges — Thread gauges
- Threading dies — Pipe threaders
- Threading machine — Threading machines
- Tongs
- Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe — Breaker lathes; Lathes
- Traveling column milling machine — 3-axis computerized numerical control CNC machines
- Tube bending machine — Tube benders
- Tungsten inert gas welding machine — Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
- Turret lathe — Turret lathes; Vertical turret lathes VTL
- Utility knives
- Vertical machining center — Vertical milling machines
- Wave soldering machine — Soldering equipment
- Wedges — Steel wedges
- Welder torch — Brazing equipment
- Welding masks — Welding shields
- Workshop cranes
Knowledge Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Abilities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Detailed Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
- Operate cutting equipment.
- Operate grinding equipment.
- Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
- Program equipment to perform production tasks.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Assemble machine tools, parts, or fixtures.
- Determine metal or plastic production methods.
- Prepare fabrics or materials for processing or production.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
- Conduct test runs of production equipment.
- Exchange information with colleagues.
- Advise others on ways to improve processes or products.
- Install mechanical components in production equipment.
- Design tools, fixtures, or other devices for production equipment.
- Diagnose equipment malfunctions.
- Dispose of trash or waste materials.
- Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
- Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
- Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Sort recyclable materials.
- Operate welding equipment.
- Test materials, solutions, or samples.
- Monitor lubrication of equipment or workpieces.
- Create diagrams or blueprints for workpieces or products.
- Plan production or operational procedures or sequences.
- Assemble electromechanical or hydraulic systems.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Job Zone Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Title | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
Education | Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
Related Experience | Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
Job Training | Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
Job Zone Examples | These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants. |
SVP Range | (6.0 to < 7.0) |
Education
Interests Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Interest |
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100 ![]() ![]() |
Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. ![]() |
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Work Styles Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Related Occupations Save Table (XLS/CSV)
51-4032.00 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
51-4033.00 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
51-4035.00 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
51-4061.00 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic |
51-4062.00 | Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic |
51-4111.00 | Tool and Die Makers |
51-7011.00 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters |
51-9161.00 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators |
51-9162.00 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ![]() |
51-9195.04 | Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers |
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wages (2019) | $21.36 hourly, $44,420 annual |
State wages | |
Local wages | |
Employment (2019) | 388,100 employees |
Projected growth (2019-2029) | ![]() |
Projected job openings (2019-2029) | 38,000 |
State trends | |
Top industries (2019) | Manufacturing (82% employed in this sector)
|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data
and 2019-2029 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2019-2029). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
- International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America
- National Tooling and Machining Association
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Machinists and tool and die makers
- Precision Machined Products Association
- Precision Metalforming Association