Machining Technology major
Machining Technology: courses, careers, and where to study
Machining Technology trains you to turn raw metal into precise parts on lathes, mills, and CNC machines, reading prints and holding tight tolerances to spec.
Machining Technology teaches you to produce metal and plastic parts to exact dimensions by cutting, shaping, and finishing stock on manual and computer-controlled equipment. Coursework covers engine and turret lathes, vertical and horizontal milling machines, surface and cylindrical grinders, and drill presses, along with selecting tooling, feeds, speeds, and coolants for materials like steel, aluminum, and titanium. You learn to read engineering drawings and apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, measure with micrometers, calipers, gauge blocks, and coordinate measuring machines, and write and edit G-code and M-code for CNC mills and lathes using CAD/CAM software. Where Welding Technology centers on joining and cutting metal with arc and oxyfuel processes, machining is about removing material to a print, and where Mechatronics builds automated systems from sensors and controls, this program focuses on making the parts themselves.
Most people enter machining through a community college certificate or associate program, an apprenticeship, or on-the-job training as a machine operator who advances toward setup and programming roles. The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) offers credentials in areas such as measurement, turning, milling, and CNC operations that some employers recognize, and prospective students should verify which credentials a given shop or program values. Work settings range from job shops and tool-and-die operations to aerospace, medical-device, and automotive manufacturing, often with OSHA safety practices on the floor. Pay and demand vary by employer, region, industry, and the certifications and experience you bring, and unlike Mechanical Engineering Technology, which works alongside engineers on design and testing, this is a production trade. A program is preparation for that work, not a guarantee of a specific job or wage.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of machinists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $56,150 and projects employment to hold roughly steady (a change of about 0.0%) from 2024 to 2034; a high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Machining Technology maps to CIP 48.0501, Machine Tool Technology/Machinist, within the PRECISION PRODUCTION family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to plan, manufacture, assemble, test, and repair parts, mechanisms, machines, and structures in which materials are cast, formed, shaped, molded, heat treated, cut, twisted, pressed, fused, stamped or worked.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Machining Technology is awarded as
Of the 2,789 Machining Technology credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate74%2,076
- Associate26%713
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Operating manual engine lathes and milling machines to turn, face, bore, and mill metal stock
- Setting up and running CNC mills and lathes, including workholding, tool offsets, and probing
- Writing and editing G-code and M-code and generating toolpaths with CAD/CAM software
- Reading engineering drawings and applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
- Precision measurement and inspection with micrometers, calipers, gauge blocks, and CMMs
- Selecting cutting tools, feeds, speeds, and coolants for steel, aluminum, titanium, and plastics
- Surface, cylindrical, and tool grinding to achieve close tolerances and fine finishes
- Shop mathematics and trigonometry for layout, bolt circles, tapers, and tooling calculations
- Machine-shop safety practices, chip and coolant handling, and routine machine maintenance
Typical careers
- Machinist
- CNC Machinist
- CNC Programmer
- Tool and Die Maker
- Machine Setup Operator
- Quality Control / CMM Inspector
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 machinists median $56,150).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Machining Technology, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinists | $56,150 | 29,500 | 0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,590 | 14,400 | -12.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,060 | 12,800 | -0.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,980 | 6,500 | +1.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,190 | 5,500 | -12% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,630 | 1,900 | -8.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other | $42,750 | 1,700 | -9.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,620 | 1,500 | -13.6% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,450 | 1,200 | -12.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,310 | 1,100 | -14.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,240 | 600 | -18.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | $61,870 | 500 | -5.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,630 | 400 | -19.6% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 13 of these 13 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Machining Technology does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Machining Technology major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Machining Technology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Machining Technology department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Machining Technology program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Machining Technology credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and TechnologyKS · 157
- Colorado Mesa UniversityCO · 87
- Amarillo CollegeTX · 76
- Central Community CollegeNE · 60
- Texas State Technical CollegeTX · 58
- Red Rocks Community CollegeCO · 56
- Anoka Technical CollegeMN · 53
- Salt Lake Community CollegeUT · 53
- Orange Coast CollegeCA · 46
- Santa Rosa Junior CollegeCA · 44
- Northeastern Technical CollegeSC · 42
- Tri-County Technical CollegeSC · 38
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Machining Technology credentials were awarded
11 states have a distinct enough set of Machining Technology colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Machining Technology schools by state
- Machining Technology in California
- Machining Technology in Florida
- Machining Technology in Georgia
- Machining Technology in Illinois
- Machining Technology in Maryland
- Machining Technology in Massachusetts
- Machining Technology in New York
- Machining Technology in North Carolina
- Machining Technology in Pennsylvania
- Machining Technology in Texas
Related majors
Welding Technology
Welding Technology trains you to join and cut metal with arc, oxyfuel, and other processes, building precise hands-on skill in fabrication, blueprint reading, and weld quality.
Mechatronics
Mechatronics integrates mechanical parts, electronics, sensors, and control software so students learn to build, test, and maintain automated systems like robots and production lines.
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology is the hands-on, applied side of mechanical engineering, training students to build, test, and improve real machines and parts alongside engineers.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering applies physics, materials, and design to machines and mechanical systems, suiting students who want to build, analyze, and test physical hardware.
Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering applies math, statistics, and systems thinking to make operations more efficient, suiting students who like optimizing how people, machines, and materials work together.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Machining Technology degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Production & Manufacturing careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Machining Technology degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Machining Technology path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.