First Class Machinist

First Class Machinist Salary

$31K

$52.5K

$76K

$53,313

/year

$25.63

/hour

First Class Machinist Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$53,313

Columbus

Ohio

$51,495

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    How much does a First Class Machinist make?

    As of Aug 16, 2026, the average annual pay for a First Class Machinist in the United States is $53,313 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $25.63 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,025/week or $4,442/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $76,000 and as low as $31,000, the majority of First Class Machinist salaries currently range between $43,500 (25th percentile) to $59,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $68,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a First Class Machinist varies greatly (by as much as 16000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A First Class Machinist in your area makes on average $51,495 per year, or $1,818 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $53,313. Ohio ranks number 39 out of 50 states nationwide for First Class Machinist salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for First Class Machinist jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a First Class Machinist on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for First Class Machinist Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a First Class Machinist job is above the national average. Topping the list is Barrow, AK, , with Nome, AK, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $11,965 (22.4%), and Barrow, AK, furthers that trend with another $13,103 (24.6%) above the $53,313 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a First Class Machinist appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Barrow, AK, and Kotzebue, AK, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a First Class Machinist role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Barrow, AK

    $66,416

    $31.93

    Nome, AK

    $66,134

    $31.80

    Berkeley, CA

    $65,278

    $31.38

    Sitka, AK

    $64,225

    $30.88

    San Francisco, CA

    $62,812

    $30.20

    Fremont, CA

    $62,709

    $30.15

    Santa Clara, CA

    $62,613

    $30.10

    San Jose, CA

    $62,482

    $30.04

    Daly City, CA

    $61,773

    $29.70

    Kotzebue, AK

    $61,685

    $29.66

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related First Class Machinist Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the First Class Machinist category.

    For example Machining jobs pay as much as $37,499 (70.3%) more than the average First Class Machinist salary of $53,313. If you're qualified, finding work as a Machining may help you make more money than that of the average First Class Machinist position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Machining

    $90,812

    $43.66

    Nitrogen Operator

    $57,403

    $27.60

    Cnc Grinder

    $47,900

    $23.03

    Maintainer Operator

    $42,340

    $20.36

    Manufacturing Machine Operator

    $37,561

    $18.06

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing First Class Machinist salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $53,313 per year or $25.63 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.