Apprenticeship

Machinist Apprenticeships

What a machinist apprenticeship pays, how long it runs, what the application requires, and what the licence at the end lets you do.

Length: 4 years for tool and die
Tuition: None
Journeyman median: $50,840/yr

Machinists set up and operate lathes, mills and CNC machining centers to produce parts within tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. The trade splits between production operation and the far better-paid setup, programming and toolmaking work. Skill in CAM programming and GD&T interpretation is what separates operators from machinists.

Year one pay: $22,878; About 45% of journeyman scale
Journeyman median: $50,840; $24.44 per hour
Tuition debt: $0; You are paid to train

What you earn at each step

Apprentice wages are set as a percentage of journeyman scale and step up on a published schedule as you accumulate hours and classroom credits. The figures below apply the typical step schedule to the national median — your local’s wage sheet is the authoritative number.

Step	Share of scale	Approximate hourly	Approximate annual
Year 1	45%	$11.00	$22,878
Year 2	55%	$13.44	$27,962
Year 3	68%	$16.62	$34,571
Year 4	82%	$20.04	$41,689
Journeyman	100%	$24.44	$50,840

What the application requires

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
Training route: 1–2 year machining program or a 4-year apprenticeship
Age: 18 or over. Registered programmes cannot set a maximum age.
Mathematics: One year of high school algebra with a passing grade. This is the most common reason applications stall, and one semester at a community college clears it.
Aptitude test: Most programmes test algebra and reading comprehension, with some mechanical and spatial reasoning. Free practice material is widely available; preparing genuinely moves your ranking.
Physical: Mostly standing, with moderate lifting of stock and fixtures. Indoors and climate-controlled compared with the building trades. Hearing and eye protection are constant requirements.
Licensing outcome: No license. NIMS credentials are the recognized skill standard.

Where to find programmes

Search the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Finder at apprenticeship.gov, then contact the union local, the ABC or IEC chapter, and licensed contractors in your area directly. Apply to all three routes in the same cycle — they have different intake calendars and different selection criteria.

Where it leads

After licensing, pay diverges by specialization far more than by years served. These are the paths most machinists choose between.

CNC setup and programming
Tool and die making
Mold making
Swiss screw machining
Aerospace machining
Manual toolroom work
CMM and quality inspection
Additive and hybrid manufacturing

Common questions

How much do machinist apprentices make?

Apprentices typically start near 45 percent of journeyman scale and step up on a published schedule. Against a national journeyman median of $50,840, that is roughly $22,878 in year one, rising to around $41,689 by the final year. Local scale varies substantially.

How long is a machinist apprenticeship?

4 years for tool and die. The hours, not the calendar, are what qualify you to sit the licence exam, so working consistently matters more than time elapsed.

What do I need to apply?

High school diploma or equivalent is the baseline, plus being 18 or over, a valid driver's licence, reliable transportation, and one year of high school algebra with a passing grade. Most programmes also require passing an aptitude test, an interview, and a drug screen.

What licence does this lead to?

No license. NIMS credentials are the recognized skill standard.

Licensing authority by state

Apprenticeship hours are portable, but licensing is not. Confirm the requirements with the board in the state where you intend to work before you start accumulating hours somewhere else.

Arizona
California
Colorado
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin