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SOC 51-4041
This page covers the combined BLS OOH category of machinists and tool and die makers, including O*NET 51-4041.00 and 51-4111.00: setting up and operating machine tools and equipment, producing precision metal parts, instruments, tools, and dies, calculating tolerances from drawings and specifications, assembling, and inspecting.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+0)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
The core work of machinists and tool and die makers is to turn metal into conforming precision parts, instruments, tools, and dies according to drawings and specifications: interpret part drawings and specifications and sequence operations, calculate dimensions and tolerances, select metals and alloys, set up and operate lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, drilling machines, and CNC equipment, write or call CNC programs, assemble and finish tools, dies, fixtures, and gauges, inspect with measuring tools and gauge blocks, conduct trial runs and adjustments, maintain equipment, and record results.
The following assessments concern machining and tool and die making work performed by machinists and tool and die makers. They do not predict hiring, qualifications, authorization, or contract outcomes.
Sample output and reflection: check whether you first understood the drawing and tolerances, arranged operations reasonably around datums, specified measuring tools and inspection methods, and provided correction and escalation paths for nonconformances. Then ask whether you can remain focused and rigorous under high precision requirements and time pressure, and whether you are willing to take responsibility for machining accuracy and inspection records.
On this page, machinists and tool and die makers refers to the combined BLS OOH category, covering O*NET 51-4041.00 Machinists and 51-4111.00 Tool and Die Makers: workers who set up and operate equipment to produce precision metal parts, instruments, tools, and dies. Machinists mainly machine precision parts; tool and die makers additionally analyze specifications and assemble and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and hand tools. Work includes calculating dimensions and tolerances, machining and assembling parts, measuring and inspecting, setting up and operating machine tools including CNC equipment, reading drawings, selecting metals, assembling and finishing, and conducting trial runs and adjustments. Work mainly takes place in machine shops and factories. This page excludes adjacent roles such as CNC programmers, industrial machinery mechanics, and mechanical assemblers.
Career direction comparison
The comparison below uses actual work objects, core deliverables, and responsibility boundaries for machinists and tool and die makers and adjacent roles. Job titles do not make qualifications interchangeable.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool and Die Makers | Tool and die makers analyze specifications and assemble and repair dies, fixtures, measuring tools, and hand tools. The machinist portion focuses more on machining and inspecting general precision parts; tool and die making is the other part of the combined category. | Design, assemble, and repair tools and dies. | Compare this direction if you prefer producing varied tooling. |
| CNC Programmers | CNC programmers write and optimize CNC programs and process documents. Machinists and tool and die makers set up and operate machine tools, clamp and align workpieces, and conduct precision inspection. The roles often collaborate but have different authorizations and outputs. |
AI impact on this career
Candidate editorial experiment: organize process instructions using fictional dimensions, assembly records, and inspection records. CAD, CAM, and CNC automation do not establish generative AI adoption. Authorized personnel must review programs, clamping, first articles, die trials, and quality dispositions against the target process. AI Impact Score 25% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+0)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Scope note: National Bureau of Statistics figures for 2025 average annual wages in manufacturing are 113,594 yuan per year for urban nonprivate units and 76,055 yuan per year for urban private units. The total for urban nonprivate units nationwide is 129,441 yuan per year. All are industry figures and do not represent this occupation's median or starting pay.
Category boundary: enterprise remuneration survey information from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is published by occupation / position and may be used to look up pay for related machining jobs. This page has not obtained an entry that precisely matches the combined BLS OOH category, so it is not used as a national occupational median. Refer to releases by the responsible authority.
Only average annual wages are published
Only average annual wages are published
U.S. salary reference
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports median annual pay of $59,620, about $28.66 per hour, for this combined category in 2025. Employment was about 344,900 in 2025 and is projected to decline by about 1% during 2025–2035, a change of about -2,200, with about 30,400 openings per year, all arising from replacement needs. Separate occupational medians are $58,750 for machinists and $64,050 for tool and die makers (May 2025). These are US national figures; combined and separate occupational figures must not be mixed.
| Percentile | Annual reference | Hourly equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | Combined percentiles were not obtained this round | — | Separate percentiles for machinists and tool and die makers are public but cannot be inserted into the combined category. |
Fit signals
To assess fit, first consider whether you can understand drawings and patiently handle dimensional tolerances, stand and operate equipment attentively for long periods, measure and inspect to specifications and keep truthful records, complete assembly and finishing, and take responsibility for accuracy and safety. Tools such as RIASEC can only suggest hypotheses and cannot replace experience with real tasks.
Positive signals： Positive signals: understanding drawings and tolerances, sequencing operations around datums and processes, patiently measuring and checking, and following safety and equipment procedures.
Reasons for caution： Reasons for caution: reluctance to check tolerances and datums, difficulty maintaining accuracy under equipment pace and time pressure, a tendency to skip first article inspection, or inability to follow protective and equipment safety requirements.
Trial activity： Trial activity: use an entirely fictional part drawing and tolerance requirements to practice process and operation design, clamping and alignment, measuring tool selection, and first article inspection. Ask another person to review the records.
Risks and boundaries
Address risks through triggers, consequences, controls, and escalation boundaries.
Machine tools, tolerances, clamping, specifications, noise, and abnormal tasks in both occupations inform editorial risks, not accident rates. Check 1910.147 for applicable US servicing energy control; equipment guarding and Chinese rules require separate checks.
Typical scenario：When machine tools are operated contrary to procedures or protective equipment is not worn.
Roles most affected：Machine operation roles
Possible consequence：May cause machinery and cutting tool injuries.
How to reduce risk：Operate according to procedures and wear protection.
Entry paths
BLS states that machinists typically need high school education, while tool and die makers may need postsecondary courses; common paths include on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and vocational schools. O*NET education data survey requirements for new entrants: 36% high school / 33% postsecondary certificate / 17% some college for machinists, and 41% certificate / 40% high school / 10% below high school for tool and die makers. These do not describe the education of current workers. The duration under JobZone3 describes a group.
Market signals
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports about 344,900 jobs in this combined category in 2025, a projected decline of about 1% during 2025–2035, a change of about -2,200, and about 30,400 annual openings, all from replacement needs. These are occupational statistics, not individual hiring probabilities, and differ from recruitment samples.
US national scope · Combined category: Machinists and Tool and Die Makers
Both suboccupations involved manufacturing in 2025. BLS lists their employer shares separately and does not provide a single combined share for this page. Industry settings do not establish causes of demand or pay.
Employment size and outlook
Employment size, outlook, and openings must be explained separately.
Does not establish：Occupational statistics cannot serve as individual employment guarantees.
On this page, machinists and tool and die makers refers to the combined BLS OOH category, including O*NET 51-4041.00 and 51-4111.00: setting up and operating equipment to produce precision metal parts, instruments, tools, and dies. Work includes calculating dimensions and tolerances, reading drawings and specifications, clamping and aligning workpieces and setting up machines, writing CNC programs, machining and assembling parts, measuring and inspecting, trial runs and adjustments, and machine tool maintenance. Work mainly takes place in machine shops and factories, usually full time during regular hours, with overtime and night shifts common. Accuracy is extremely important. This occupation is distinct from CNC programmers, industrial machinery mechanics, and mechanical assemblers.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
This is an entirely fictional part machining scenario check, not a personality diagnosis, hiring conclusion, or qualification assessment.
Entirely fictional task package: provide a fictional part drawing and tolerance requirements, including 1 process routing sheet and 1 first article inspection record. Within 60 minutes, write out the choice of machining method, operation sequence, measuring tool selection, first article inspection, and nonconformance handling steps. Do not use real company, drawing, or customer data.
Check first: part drawings and specifications, machining and assembly operations, clamping and datums, measuring tools and inspection methods, metals and heat treatment, machine and tool condition, safety protection requirements, and requirements for handling and documenting nonconformances.
Work cycle: begin with drawing review and operation sequencing, continue through material selection, clamping and alignment, machine setup, trial cuts and first article inspection, machining / assembly and monitoring, and finish with measurement, inspection, trial runs, adjustments, maintenance records, and corrections. Do not begin batch machining before all first article and safety conditions are confirmed.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Work cycle | From drawing interpretation to inspection and correction | |
| Step one | Study drawings and sequence operations | |
| Step two | Select materials, clamp and align workpieces, and set up machines | |
| Step three | Trial cuts and first article inspection | |
| Step four | Machine / assemble and monitor | |
| Step five | Measure, inspect, and conduct trial runs | |
| Step six | Finish, adjust, and handle nonconformances |
Inputs: metals and alloys, part drawings / blueprints and specifications, dimensional and tolerance requirements, machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, and drilling machines, CNC systems, fixtures and cutting tools, measuring tools and gauge blocks, assembly and finishing supplies, process routes, and inspection records.
Inspectable outputs: parts machined to tolerance, assembled and finished tools and dies, fixtures and gauges, CNC programs, first article and in-process inspection records, trial run and adjustment records, machine tool maintenance records, and nonconformance handling records.
Complete workflow: study drawings and specifications and sequence operations → select metals → clamp and align the workpiece and set up the machine and tools → perform trial cuts and first article inspection → machine / assemble and monitor → measure, inspect, and conduct trial runs → finish, adjust, and record results.
In the US, machinists typically need a high school diploma to enter, while tool and die makers may also need postsecondary courses. The occupations fall within Job Zone 3 and commonly involve long-term on-the-job training. Certification and training do not confer equipment operating or special operation qualifications. This page does not assess individual eligibility.
Work objects and AI boundaries for machinists and tool and die makers Candidate editorial experiment: organize process instructions using fictional dimensions, assembly records, and inspection records. CAD, CAM, and CNC automation do not establish generative AI adoption. Authorized personnel must review programs, clamping, first articles, die trials, and quality dispositions against the target process.
| Handle CNC programming and process documentation. |
| Compare this direction if you prefer programming and process design. |
| Lathe and Grinding Machine Operators | Lathe operators machine rotational parts on lathes, while grinding machine operators handle grinding and finishing. Machinists and tool and die makers cover setup and operation across multiple machine tools and take responsibility for overall machining accuracy and inspection. | Perform specialized machining on the relevant machine tools. | Compare this direction if you prefer specializing in one type of machine. |
|---|
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | Industrial machinery mechanics install, diagnose, and repair industrial machinery and equipment. Machinists and tool and die makers focus on machining and tool and die production; equipment repair belongs to a different area of responsibility. | Install, diagnose, and repair equipment. | Compare this direction if you prefer equipment repair. |
|---|
First use a reviewable explanation of process and inspection records to verify objects, methods, and accuracy boundaries, then assess directions. Do not assign a single ranking by income or personality.
Next, turn the comparison into a small process and inspection exercise that can be stopped.
Describe only the specific steps tools may assist; a demonstration does not establish organizational adoption.
Check data sources, system reliability, and review responsibilities. This page has no occupation-specific adoption rate.
Without occupational job outcome research, do not infer layoff timing, staffing changes, or hiring probabilities.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process planning and programming | Determine processes and write CNC programs | Editorial suggestion: tools may assist programming, path optimization, design, and inspection data summaries. Current materials do not establish widespread adoption of these systems by manufacturers. | Check drawings, tolerances, and process feasibility. |
| Clamping and machining | Clamp and align workpieces and machine them | May assist path optimization | Follow drawing, process, and safety requirements, retaining human judgment and records. |
| Assembly and finishing | Assemble and finish tools and dies | Does not make automated decisions | Perform manual assembly and trial runs to specifications. |
| Maintenance and records | Maintain machine tools and record data | May assist summaries | Confirmed by process and quality leads. |
Occupational sources describe the tasks and objects actually handled in this occupation: drawings and tolerances, machines and tools, fixtures and measuring tools, metals, CNC programs, and inspection records. Tool capabilities, organizational adoption, and job outcomes are recorded separately; pay or employment data do not substitute for AI evidence.
The editorial task breakdown proposes only candidates for validation. This round obtained no ranking of automation difficulty by stage or evidence of generative AI adoption outcomes. BLS discussions of mechanical automation do not establish AI replacement.
AI primarily changesEditorial candidate awaiting validation: program and path generation
Human responsibility remainsProcess feasibility and tolerance checks
AI primarily changesEditorial candidate awaiting validation: data summaries
Human responsibility remainsConformance decisions and dispositions
Human control points include confirming drawings and processes, checking datums and measuring tools, judging first article and in-process inspection results, completing assembly, finishing, and trial runs, and taking responsibility for machining accuracy and inspection records.
Confirm drawings, tolerances, and process requirements.
Operate only within authorization and procedures.
Review first articles, measuring tools, and equipment condition.
Stop and report deviations and safety abnormalities immediately.
May cause scrapped parts and assembly failure.
Control: Perform first article and in-process inspection and check against tolerances.
May cause deviations and safety hazards.
Control: Clamp against datums and check again.
May cause injuries or entire batches of scrap.
Control: Stop the machine, inspect, and follow procedures.
Practice drawing interpretation, measuring tool use, and first article inspection.
Keep process and inspection records.
Set process and inspection standards first.
Task exposure, adoption, and job outcomes measure different things and cannot establish a job elimination date.
Source: O*NET 51-4041.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
Candidate editorial experiment: organize process instructions using fictional dimensions, assembly records, and inspection records. CAD, CAM, and CNC automation do not establish generative AI adoption. Authorized personnel must review programs, clamping, first articles, die trials, and quality dispositions against the target process.
Source: O*NET 51-4041.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
This round obtained no generative AI adoption rates, hours saved, or causal studies for the combined category or either suboccupation.
Source: O*NET 51-4041.00 Machinists (Summary)Original source ↗
Start with an offline process exercise using entirely fictional part drawings and tolerance requirements. Record operation sequences, clamping, measuring tools, and inspection boundaries, without relying on unverified automated programs to replace first article confirmation.
Insufficient evidence: not separately listed
This round did not establish a separately reported Chinese wage match for this combined category; manufacturing industry proxies are not occupational medians or take-home pay.
| Job scope | Reference value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Not separately reported | Appointment depends on employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education level within this occupation. |
| Not separately reported | Appointment depends on employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education level within this occupation. |
| Not separately reported | Appointment depends on employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education level within this occupation. |
| Not separately reported | Appointment depends on employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education level within this occupation. |
113,594 yuan per year
76,055 yuan per year
129,441 yuan per year
Insufficient evidence: a national occupational wage median, reference period, and matching scope for machinists and tool and die makers in mainland China were not obtained. This page displays only industry proxies explicitly labeled as such, and does not fill the gap with proxy figures or US figures.
| Median (50%) | $59,620 per year | $28.66 per hour | BLS OOH 2025 combined median annual pay for machinists and tool and die makers. |
|---|
| 90th percentile | Combined percentiles were not obtained this round | — | Separate percentiles for machinists and tool and die makers are public but cannot be inserted into the combined category. |
|---|
Pay · Combined median：$59,620 per year (2025)；Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Pay · Combined hourly median：$28.66 per hour (2025)；Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Pay · Machinist median：$58,750 per year (2025)；Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Pay · Tool and die maker median：$64,050 per year (2025)；Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Pay · Combined percentiles：Combined percentiles were not obtained this round; the two suboccupations' percentiles cannot be mixed；Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
The 2025 combined median is 59620; the machinist median of 58750 and tool and die maker median of 64050 must be used separately. Both suboccupations' percentiles are public, but combined percentiles were not obtained this round and cannot be replaced by them.
2025 combined employment, not recruitment vacancies.
A projected decline of about 1% during 2025–2035 is an occupational statistic, not an individual hiring outcome.
Related occupations are listed under manufacturing within O*NET/BLS industry categories; this does not describe all workers' income.
| Industry | Industry value | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Machinists · Transportation equipment manufacturing | $61,920 per year | BLS OOH2025 median pay by suboccupation × industry, not combined industry pay or an employment share. |
| Machinists · Machinery manufacturing | $59,590 per year | BLS OOH2025 median pay by suboccupation × industry, not combined industry pay or an employment share. |
| Tool and die makers · Transportation equipment manufacturing | $78,200 per year | BLS OOH2025 median pay by suboccupation × industry, not combined industry pay or an employment share. |
| Tool and die makers · Machinery manufacturing | $62,780 per year | BLS OOH2025 median pay by suboccupation × industry, not combined industry pay or an employment share. |
Check education and training separately for the two occupations. JobZone is not a fixed duration; optional BLS skill certifications do not confer machine operating authorization.
Editorial suggestion: show drawings, first article records, measuring tool records, and die trial records. No comparative research establishes that experience is superior to certificate titles.
Check target regional industries and employer conditions job by job; the combined median cannot separate their effects.
Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Check using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
RIASEC interest codes: RCI, Realistic–Conventional–Investigative, for machinists, and RC, Realistic–Conventional, for tool and die makers. These indicate preferences for hands-on machine operation, precise machining and assembly under procedures, and analysis of process problems. The labels describe activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialCheck using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
This round obtained no personality validity studies for the combined category or either suboccupation. Observe verification behavior using fictional dimensions and tooling trial records; do not use scales to decide machining authorization or release.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialCheck using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Type tools such as MBTI and the Enneagram cannot determine competence or qualifications and may be used only for self-reflection.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialCheck using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, accuracy boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialCheck using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, accuracy boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialCheck using work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, accuracy boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career interest trialFits better when: Can understand drawings and tolerances.
Watch for: Must check datums and operation sequences.
Fits better when: Can clamp and align workpieces and set up machines.
Watch for: Must follow procedures and use protection.
Fits better when: Can measure with measuring tools and check results.
Watch for: Must check measuring tools and standards.
Fits better when: Can write and verify programs.
Watch for: Must confirm the first article before batch production.
Fits better when: Can assemble and finish tools and dies to specifications.
Watch for: Must confirm after trial runs.
Fits better when: Can identify and handle dimensions outside tolerance.
Watch for: Must keep truthful records and report.
Use this page's work sample to check drawing interpretation and process judgment.
Check measuring tools and inspection requirements against job standards.
Stop first and check datums and parameters before taking action.
Confirm the first article before continuing machining.
Assess your adaptation to shop floor work and pace.
Assess your acceptance of machining and inspection record duties.
Use process and inspection records to enable review by others.
Complete a process and inspection exercise using an entirely fictional part drawing.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Work Context
Typical scenario：When machining begins without checking datums and parameters.
Roles most affected：Machining and inspection roles
Possible consequence：May cause dimensions outside tolerance and scrapped parts.
How to reduce risk：Check datums and inspect the first article before machining.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：When clamping or alignment is insecure.
Roles most affected：Clamping and machining roles
Possible consequence：May cause deviations and safety hazards.
How to reduce risk：Clamp against datums and check secure fastening.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：When drawings or specifications are misunderstood.
Roles most affected：Process planning and programming roles
Possible consequence：May cause machining errors across an entire batch.
How to reduce risk：Review drawings and confirm with process personnel.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：When protection is absent in noisy or hazardous equipment environments.
Roles most affected：Shop floor roles
Possible consequence：May cause personal injury.
How to reduce risk：Follow protection and work permit requirements.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Work Context
Typical scenario：When machining continues despite tool wear or abnormal equipment conditions.
Roles most affected：Machine operation roles
Possible consequence：May cause entire batches of scrap and safety problems.
How to reduce risk：Stop the relevant hazardous work and report under the machine's approved abnormal condition procedures. Refer repair and blockage clearing to personnel authorized for the target task to check energy control. Do not treat a stop button as isolation or bypass guarding.
Evidence：O*NET 51-4041.00 Tasks
Typical scope：Entry stage: practice drawing interpretation, use of measuring tools, simple part machining, and first article inspection records under supervision. Learn process and safety procedures and keep process records.
Readiness evidence：Evidence to show: provide a reviewable explanation of process and inspection records, including operations, clamping, measuring tools, and first article decisions, to demonstrate the ability to machine to tolerance and record results truthfully.
Credential boundary：Verify apprenticeship or on-the-job training requirements.
Next moves：Next step: check the target employer's process requirements, equipment and safety procedures, inspection standards, and authorization scope, and validate accuracy and inspection skills through supervised real machining.
Typical scope：Independently interpret drawings, machine, and inspect.
Readiness evidence：Keep process and inspection records.
Credential boundary：Verify job and equipment requirements.
Next moves：Moving toward greater responsibility: with experience, workers may handle complex parts and CNC programming, assemble and repair dies, mentor new workers and contribute to process improvements, or move into quality inspection and production management.
Typical scope：Handle complex parts and mentor new workers.
Readiness evidence：Keep complex part and mentoring records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of complex process and mentoring capability.
Typical scope：Handle process improvements and team scheduling.
Readiness evidence：Keep process and team records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of process and shop floor management capability.
Typical scope：Participate in tool and die making under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Keep tooling and inspection records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Build knowledge of tooling and quality standards.
Typical scope：Independently manufacture, assemble, and repair tools and dies.
Readiness evidence：Keep manufacturing and trial run records.
Credential boundary：Verify job and employer requirements.
Next moves：Build knowledge of precision processes and metrology.
Typical scope：Handle specialized tools and dies and quality improvements.
Readiness evidence：Keep specialist work and improvement records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Build specialist and collaboration knowledge.
Typical scope：Organize tooling manufacture, repairs and fitting, trials, and quality reviews. Manufacturing experience does not automatically establish quality system management capability.
Readiness evidence：Keep tooling manufacturing plans, repair and trial records, inspection reviews, and mentoring records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of management responsibility.
Typical scope：Operate CNC machines under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Keep machining and inspection records.
Credential boundary：Verify job requirements.
Next moves：Build foundations in CNC and programming.
Typical scope：Independently write and optimize programs.
Readiness evidence：Keep program and first article records.
Credential boundary：Verify job and enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Build process and modeling knowledge.
Typical scope：Handle process and tooling plans.
Readiness evidence：Keep process and improvement records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Build process and project management knowledge.
Typical scope：Manage process systems and teams.
Readiness evidence：Keep system and team records.
Credential boundary：Verify enterprise requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of governance responsibility.
Confirm drawings, tolerances, and process requirements.
Clamp against datums, machine, inspect the first article, and keep records.
Produce reviewable machining and inspection records.
Expand duties for complex parts, tools and dies, and processes within authorization.
US national scope · Combined category: Machinists and Tool and Die Makers
About 30,400 per year
Openings, annual average
Annual average total for 2025–2035, all from replacement needs; not current recruitment vacancies.
Does not establish：Cannot serve as an individual hiring probability.
US national scope · Combined category: Machinists and Tool and Die Makers
$59,620 per year
Combined median annual pay
BLS OOH 2025 combined median; does not represent starting pay or take-home income.
Does not establish：Combined percentiles were not obtained this round; suboccupation percentiles must not be mixed, and figures do not include individual take-home income.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Transferable capabilities: understanding drawings and processes, dimensional measurement and inspection, machine setup and operation, CNC programming, assembly and finishing, analysis of accuracy problems, and equipment maintenance.
Build next：Moving into tool and die making requires additional training and authorization in die structures, tooling fits, assembly and finishing, trials, and fitting adjustments. General part machining does not automatically cover tooling manufacture.
View career profileTransfers：Foundations in machining and drawing interpretation.
Build next：Add programming and process documentation capability.
View career profileTransfers：Foundations in lathe machining.
Build next：Add target lathe setup, rotational part processes, clamping, and turning accuracy control; moving into lathe work does not mean learning other machine tools.
View career profileTransfers：Equipment and mechanical foundations.
Build next：Add mechanical and electrical diagnostic knowledge.
View career profileTransfers：Foundations in mechanical assembly and alignment.
Build next：Add on-site installation and process knowledge.
View career profileTransfers：Foundations in precision measurement and measuring tools.
Build next：Add knowledge of metrology and calibration systems.
View career profileTool and die makers analyze specifications and assemble and repair dies, fixtures, measuring tools, and hand tools, forming part of this page's combined category. CNC programmers write and optimize CNC programs and process documents; lathe and grinding machine operators perform machining on their respective machines; industrial machinery mechanics install and repair equipment. Compare equipment, processes, and quality responsibilities to distinguish the roles.
Observable signals include understanding drawings and tolerances, sequencing operations around datums and processes, patiently measuring and checking, and following safety and equipment procedures. The machinist interest code RCI and tool and die maker code RC describe activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications.
CAM programming, toolpath optimization, CAD design, and online measurement tools may assist program generation, machining arrangement, and inspection data summaries. People remain responsible for clamping and alignment, trial cut judgments, assembly and finishing, handling accuracy issues, and safe operation. This page presents tool uses only as task hypotheses and does not imply widespread organizational adoption.
Human responsibilities include confirming drawings and specifications, selecting datums and operations, judging first article and in-process inspection results, completing assembly, finishing, and trial runs, handling deviations and nonconformances, and truthfully documenting machining and inspection.
The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average annual wages for urban unit employees by industry category and does not separately list this occupation, so a safely matched national occupational wage median cannot be established. The page displays only industry proxies labeled as such: 2025 manufacturing wages of 113,594 yuan per year for urban nonprivate units and 76,055 yuan per year for urban private units, and a national total of 129,441 yuan per year for urban nonprivate units. None equals this occupation's median or starting pay. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security enterprise remuneration survey information is also provided as a lookup entry point.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports 2025 median annual pay of $59,620, about $28.66 per hour, for the combined category. Separate medians are $58,750 for machinists and $64,050 for tool and die makers (May 2025). These are US national statistics. Combined and separate occupational figures must not be mixed, and they do not represent individual take-home income or starting pay.
In the US, machinists typically need a high school diploma to enter, while tool and die makers may also need postsecondary courses. The occupations fall within Job Zone 3, with learning often through long-term on-the-job training or apprenticeships. Certification and training do not confer equipment operating or special operation qualifications. In mainland China, there is no unified occupational qualification precisely corresponding to this combined category; job requirements are mostly determined by employers and industries.
Main risks include machinery and cutting tool injuries, dimensions outside tolerance, clamping and alignment errors, misunderstanding drawings and specifications, and exposure to noise and hazardous environments. Controls include confirming drawings and processes, clamping against datums and checking again, measuring and using protection under procedures, and stopping and escalating deviations. Check specific rules against employer requirements and applicable regulations.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports about 344,900 jobs in this combined category in 2025, a projected decline of about 1% during 2025–2035, and about 30,400 annual openings, all arising from replacement needs. These are occupational statistics, not individual hiring probabilities.
If you can understand drawings and tolerances, measure and check patiently, and maintain accuracy under time pressure, it is worth conducting a low-cost process and inspection exercise using an entirely fictional part drawing and tolerance requirements. Moving into tool and die making, CNC programming, or quality inspection requires corresponding evidence of process capability and responsibility.
Evidence for China, the US, and specific organizations is presented separately: conclusions on pay, employment, qualifications, safety, and AI must not be spliced across scopes. This page provides occupational assessment and process exercise information and does not replace local law, safety procedures, or other professional advice. Any statement of insufficient evidence means only that bounded searches did not establish safely matched data; proxies or memory are not used to fabricate figures.
FermatMind research workflow
2025 pay and 2025–2035 outlook; accessed 2026-09-25
Machinists and Tool and Die Makers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook)
Limitations：The combined category includes machinists and tool and die makers; no mapping to China is established.
Limitations：Applies only to 51-4041.00 and the US market; no mapping to China is established.
Limitations：The task sample does not imply that every job performs all tasks; no mapping to China is established.
Limitations：US work context does not replace Chinese law or employer procedures.
Limitations：Applies only to 51-4111.00 and the US market; tasks and employer procedures vary.
Limitations：This page does not display pay percentiles; the median is not starting pay or individual take-home income.
Limitations：Projections do not guarantee hiring; little or no change does not mean individual opportunities remain unchanged.
Limitations：Industry distribution signals employer settings, not projected growth or demand.
Limitations：The education distribution does not establish a mandatory requirement for every employer; no mapping to China is established.
Limitations：Certification and training do not establish scope of practice or employer hiring; check the applicable jurisdiction.
Limitations：Task exposure does not establish implemented automation, adoption rates, or layoffs; individual outcomes are not inferred.
Limitations：Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individual businesses and freelancers; no national wage distribution matching the precise occupation has been established.
Limitations：Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions; this page did not obtain an entry precisely matching this occupation and does not use it as a national median.
Limitations：The editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or credentials.
Limitations：Check exclusions and exceptions separately; does not cover all production, China, or complete machine tool procedures
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
This page uses the combined BLS category for two occupations: the currently verified 2025 median of 59620, hourly pay of 28.66, employment of 344900→342700 in 2035, a 2025–2035 change of -1%, and 30400 annual replacement openings are retained. Separate medians for machinists / tool and die makers are 58750/64050. Both occupations' percentiles are public, but combined percentiles were not obtained this round and are not mixed. Four 2025 suboccupation × industry pay examples are machinists in transportation equipment at 61920 / machinery at 59590, and tool and die makers in transportation equipment at 78200 / machinery at 62780. Interest codes are RCI/RC respectively. Education requirements for new entrants must be checked separately, and JobZone does not specify a fixed training period. NBS manufacturing is only a proxy; OSHA1910.147 covers only applicable US servicing work. The original shared sources and protected FAQ still contain older suboccupation projections and statements on industries, percentiles, and qualifications awaiting independent review. Gaps remain in Chinese pay and entry requirements, AI and personality evidence, and detailed industry pay for the combined category.
