Operation and Control
65/100Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Advanced manufacturing and skilled trades / federal career guide
SOC 51-4041
Machinists career data
Wages, employment, skills, and education-program connections for community-college planning.
- Median annual wage
- $58,750
- National OEWS, May 2025
- National employment
- 287,050
- Estimated jobs, not projected openings
- 10th–90th percentile
- $39,200–$80,010
- National annual wage range
- Mapped program classes
- 2
- Official CIP–SOC crosswalk records
Occupation definition
What this occupation covers
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.
Decision prompt
Can reviewers see the progression from precision fundamentals to CNC setup and production problem-solving?
Curriculum evidence
High-importance O*NET® skills
Importance scores are normalized to a 0–100 planning scale from the active O*NET® database importance records.
Operations Monitoring
62/100Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking
62/100Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
62/100Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Troubleshooting
60/100Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Knowledge
Knowledge areas to review
Technology
Tools named in O*NET® data
Program connections
Education programs mapped to this occupation
The NCES crosswalk connects SOC 51-4041 with 2 CIP classifications. These mappings support exploration; they do not promise employment or licensure.
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