CNC Mill Machinist Career path.

SpeedsandFeeds · Jan 26, 2019

So I topped 75k in 2018 as a CNC mill setup/operator. I have 8 years of work experience and a AAS degree in machine tool technology. Working roughly 50hrs a week on average the entire year I was able to hit that 75k.

I set up 3-5axis mills daily holding +\- .006 microns majority of the time on hardend materials. I do not program the machine, but I have a big influence on how the part im working on gets programmed. I am capable of programming but since I have not been doing it for the past 6 years I would need some re-training on the software, but I am sure I would pick it up fairly quick again. I have experience with multiple machine controls and probe/laser setup calibration and what not....etc etc etc etc.

Im just OK with my income, its been climbing every year but the thing is I want MORE and I want it NOW!!!! 8 years ago my first Cnc job i was paid 12 bucks an hr, and now im just above 26 an hr. THE REASON FOR THIS POST IS: How do I find a higher paying CNC Machining job or how can I take my skills as a machinist and apply it towards another similar profession to make well over 100k?? With all the job posting out there nowadays everything seems to be equal or just slightly lower then my pay now. I cant top out when I still have 30 more years of work ahead of me!!!!

Any feedback will be appreciated, and if you are one of the guys who are gonna give me hell for posting this then lets hear it pal.

Thanks,
SpeedsandFeeds

goooose · Jan 26, 2019

SpeedsandFeeds said:
So I topped 75k in 2018 as a CNC mill setup/operator...

How many interviews do you have setup this week? 0?
How many shop owners do you know? 0?

Point being, get yourself out there. Talk with people, network. It won't happen tomorrow, but it'll pay off.

DMF_TomB · Jan 27, 2019

SpeedsandFeeds said:
So I topped 75k in 2018 as a CNC mill setup/operator. I have 8 years of work experience and a AAS degree in machine tool technology. Working roughly 50hrs a week on average the entire year I was able to hit that 75k.

I set up 3-5axis mills daily holding +\- .006 microns majority of the time on hardend materials. I do not program the machine, but I have a big influence on how the part im working on gets programmed. I am capable of programming but since I have not been doing it for the past 6 years I would need some re-training on the software, but I am sure I would pick it up fairly quick again. I have experience with multiple machine controls and probe/laser setup calibration and what not....etc etc etc etc.

Im just OK with my income, its been climbing every year but the thing is I want MORE and I want it NOW!!!! 8 years ago my first Cnc job i was paid 12 bucks an hr, and now im just above 26 an hr. THE REASON FOR THIS POST IS: How do I find a higher paying CNC Machining job or how can I take my skills as a machinist and apply it towards another similar profession to make well over 100k?? With all the job posting out there nowadays everything seems to be equal or just slightly lower then my pay now. I cant top out when I still have 30 more years of work ahead of me!!!!

Any feedback will be appreciated, and if you are one of the guys who are gonna give me hell for posting this then lets hear it pal.

Thanks,
SpeedsandFeeds

.
1) find job with more overtime available and make over $90,000/yr
.
2) programmers do not always make more money at the end of the year. if they work little overtime they might only make $60,000/yr. some make salary where they do not get paid by the hour so if they work extra hours they get nothing extra.
.
3) find job your company values more and pays more. but be aware some jobs that pay more are fewer in number and much harder to get the job. that is some are unemployed a year looking the their former job type and others have a job offer in less than 3 weeks.

Bill Clay · Jan 27, 2019

If you like your job stay where you are at. $75K is awfully good money especially with benefits if you have them.
I hate to bring up a common theme but wages in this trade have not kept up. There are a lot of guys on this forum
including myself who are shop owners that do not make anywhere close to that.

Mike1974 · Jan 27, 2019

I made about 78k/year a couple jobs ago, no overtime/salary. I worked 40 most of the time, with the occasional need to work 7 days/week to get sh*t done. Dude, be happy with that, probably gonna be a stretch to find that, even with 50 hours/week, unless you move to a higher income area, with proportionately higher living expenses...

plastikdreams · Jan 27, 2019

Holding .006 microns eh...that's 6 nanometers. That's pretty good on a vmc, on hardened material no less.

Don't use that line on someone that knows the trade. They will laugh pretty hard.

boosted · Jan 27, 2019

I think you are going to have to get into programming. Even on the West Coast, very few shops are going to pay "just" a machinist 100k+. You can easily break into that as a programmer though. That said; the best way to make a ton of money would be to leave this industry for something more lucrative. The top 10% in this trade make pretty good money, but not if you compare them to the top 10% of many other industries.

dandrummerman21 · Jan 27, 2019

SpeedsandFeeds said:
How do I find a higher paying CNC Machining job

You apply to them.

how can I take my skills as a machinist and apply it towards another similar profession to make well over 100k??

You get a degree and/or apply to them.

Sometimes I feel like I am in a similar boat until I realize I love my employer, what they do for me when I need help or access to equipment, the company truck, whatever. Flexible hours when needed. I have similar pay and hours as you do and occasionally wonder "can I get more elsewhere?" and know I could probably get more according to some of the local radio ads I have heard, but end up not looking because of some pretty good non-monetary benefits and coworkers that I don't hate.

Plus I'm the mill dept foreman in a job shop environment; if nothing else, I would hate to get stuck in a shop where I get placed next to a machine and push the button and check my parts on the same machine making the same part for weeks or months, just to chase a dollar or two.

plastikdreams · Jan 27, 2019

I'm gonna be real candid here, basing your salary on overtime is a piss poor way of looking at things. OT can dry up, usually unexpected. Work on improving your base salary. Taking a job based on available overtime is foolhardy.

Jashley73 · Jan 27, 2019

At minimum, you need to get into programming. Either start taking community college classes for CAD/CAM, or if it's still free, download Fusion and start there.

8 years in and making 75k with reasonable overtime is not bad. If you want more, you have to invest in yourself some. Learning CAD/CAM is a good start, with minimal investment probably.

SpeedsandFeeds · Jan 27, 2019

plastikdreams said:
Holding .006 microns eh...that's 6 nanometers. That's pretty good on a vmc, on hardened material no less.

Don't use that line on someone that knows the trade. They will laugh pretty hard.

Ok ok. It was a typo, .006mm

plastikdreams · Jan 27, 2019

SpeedsandFeeds said:
Ok ok. It was a typo, .006mm

I'm in a similar roundabout situation, I started playing machinist in late 2010 at 17/hour after a bunch of jobs I'm at 30/hour and lots of available overtime although I don't usually work more than 8-10 hours of ot a week unless I'm working on something critical. I'm a senior tool and mold maker for a large aerospace company at a superalloy casting facility...we are backed up with orders into 2030 lol, job security.

precisionmetal · Jan 27, 2019

SpeedsAndFeeds,

I'm guessing you know this, but just on the very slim chance you don't -- 75k in Illinois would likely equate to ~$150k in Silicon Valley. Of course you would quickly find that your standard of living there at 75k is probably higher than $150k in most parts of California. I know of quite a few people that were working at the same company I did in the Bay area who ended up quitting and moving away within a year or two of taking a very high-paying job, because it was simply not possible to buy a home with their (substantial) salary.

Others have said it: "broaden your skill set"

PM

CarbideBob · Jan 27, 2019

SpeedsandFeeds said:
.......
THE REASON FOR THIS POST IS: How do I find a higher paying CNC Machining job or how can I take my skills as a machinist and apply it towards another similar profession to make well over 100k?? ....

You are not doing bad for the area and correct in seeing that you are reaching the top of the curve.
Want that $120-$180 a year.....?
Move into management.
Start as a supervisor, work up from there. Your current skills can help put you on the fast track but you will hit a wall without a 4 year degree even if it is in Underwater Basket Weaving.

There is the high risk, maybe higher than above reward of starting your own shop path also.

goooose makes a very good point about making a very strong effort to meet everyone you can in the business.
Often it's not what you know but who you have become friends or acquaintances with.
Bob

Vancbiker · Jan 27, 2019

Another avenue if you have the skills, would be CNC field service. Good at electrical and great at mechanical or great at electrical and a good mechanic will get you to the $100k mark. I'm not talking about the typical parts changer "service tech" though or machine installer.

Orange Vise · Jan 29, 2019

With much higher pay comes much higher expectations. Getting a high paying job is only half the battle. The other half is keeping it, and that's a two-fold task. First, you obviously have to do good work and fit in with the company culture. Second, you have to contribute to keeping the company profitable so they can afford to keep you.

Ambition is good. Just gotta remember it's a two way street. Your current position and pay level appear to be decent. The next step up, possibly supervisory or programming, adds significantly more responsibility and stress. As a setup machinist, your day-to-day results are generally binary. In other words, "GO / NO-GO". With higher positions, results become subjective, and many people struggle with that. Not knowing if you're doing a good job or not is a huge source of stress and anxiety.

davehud · Jan 29, 2019

Contract NC programmers who know Catia are presently making $50-$60 an hour in aerospace work. The most I ever made was $75 an hour. All jobs pay time and a half for overtime. Easy to make over $100,000 a year. I learned Catia at my local community college (2 year AA degree). Catia/Aerospace is the ticket.

litlerob1 · Jan 29, 2019

Around here there are maybe 5 guys who make more than 75k. Speaking of employees. Here the best way to get over 100k is switch from Employee to Employer. Buy the shop, the gear, get a niche and beat out about every Tom, Dick and Harry on Hours and Quality.

As owners start to compete, the first thing that goes is shop rate, thats a mistake IMO. Own and compete with Quality.

R

BTW, Machinery holds tolerance-not people. I don't care how good you are. Careful with bragging rights.

goooose · Jan 29, 2019

litlerob1 said:
Around here there are maybe 5 guys who make more than 75k.

Are you talking your shop or Utah in general...cause indeed shows 16 jobs in the 75k+ range for CNC related in Utah.

You don't have to be a shop owner or live in SanFransico to pull down 100k+. Half the problem with this industry is people selling themselves short.

litlerob1 · Jan 30, 2019

goooose said:
Are you talking your shop or Utah in general...cause indeed shows 16 jobs in the 75k+ range for CNC related in Utah.

You don't have to be a shop owner or live in SanFransico to pull down 100k+. Half the problem with this industry is people selling themselves short.

No it doesn't. What is your search criteria? Multiple posts, doesn't mean multiple positions available. I see 4 Staffing agencies that are NOT located here. I only see 3 listings that are public about it, and one that is clearly 80k. An employer can advertise an 100k job and that means $27.00hr but 60 hrs. a week. Fuck that.

R

CNC Mill Machinist Career path.

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