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The national median salary for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators is $50,690 per year ($24.37/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $44,928 and $61,755 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $73,902 per year. There are approximately 169,450 computer numerically controlled tool operators employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Operate computer-controlled tools, machines, or robots to machine or process parts, tools, or other work pieces made of metal, plastic, wood, stone, or other materials. May also set up and maintain equipment.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-10.7%
Much slower than average
Annual openings
14K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
177K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing
NAICS 332700
32K
$50,510
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
NAICS 3320A1
17K
$49,610
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
NAICS 3330A1
16K
$53,830
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336400
13K
$61,580
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing
NAICS 333500
10K
$51,760
Wage range across top 5 industries: $49,610 to $61,580 (24% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$18.34
$38,147
P25
$21.60
$44,928
P50MEDIAN
$24.37
$50,690
P75
$29.69
$61,755
P90
$35.53
$73,902
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average computer numerically controlled tool operators salary?
The national median salary for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators is $50,690 per year ($24.37/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $44,928 and $61,755 annually.
How much do top-earning computer numerically controlled tool operators make?
The 90th percentile salary for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators is $73,902 per year ($35.53/hr). The 75th percentile is $61,755 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for computer numerically controlled tool operators?
Entry-level Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (10th percentile) earn approximately $38,147 per year ($18.34/hr). The 25th percentile is $44,928 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.