Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$74,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$8,000
10.9% of base
Total target cash
$82,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$5,00050th$8,00075th$13,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Determine the sequence of machine operations, and select the proper cutting tools needed to machine workpieces into the desired shapes.
Analyze job orders, drawings, blueprints, specifications, printed circuit board pattern films, and design data to calculate dimensions, tool selection, machine speeds, and feed rates.
Observe machines on trial runs or conduct computer simulations to ensure that programs and machinery will function properly and produce items that meet specifications.
Write programs in the language of a machine's controller and store programs on media, such as punch tapes, magnetic tapes, or disks.
Determine reference points, machine cutting paths, or hole locations, and compute angular and linear dimensions, radii, and curvatures.
Top skills:ProgrammingMonitoringSystems AnalysisOperations MonitoringMathematicsComplex Problem Solving
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer pay by experience level
Entry level$49,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$60,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$70,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$85,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$104,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+12.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,100
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer salary by industry
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
9,360 workers
$74,500
Machinery Manufacturing
5,550 workers
$74,500
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing
5,420 workers
$78,000
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
3,690 workers
$84,000
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
2,670 workers
$77,000
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing
2,420 workers
$71,500
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
2,330 workers
$71,000
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
2,060 workers
$100,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
1,570 workers
$68,000
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
1,260 workers
$62,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $57,740 to $68,120.
+18.0% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$49,000
Early career25th percentile
$60,500
Median50th percentile
$70,500
Experienced75th percentile
$85,000
Top earners90th percentile
$104,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
ProgrammingMonitoringSystems AnalysisOperations MonitoringMathematicsComplex Problem Solving
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Determine the sequence of machine operations, and select the proper cutting tools needed to machine workpieces into the desired shapes.
Analyze job orders, drawings, blueprints, specifications, printed circuit board pattern films, and design data to calculate dimensions, tool selection, machine speeds, and feed rates.
Observe machines on trial runs or conduct computer simulations to ensure that programs and machinery will function properly and produce items that meet specifications.
Write programs in the language of a machine's controller and store programs on media, such as punch tapes, magnetic tapes, or disks.
Determine reference points, machine cutting paths, or hole locations, and compute angular and linear dimensions, radii, and curvatures.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$74,500
2027$77,000
2028$80,000
2029$82,500
2030$85,500
2031$88,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer make?
The median market pay for a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer in the United States is about $74,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer?
Most Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer pay falls between about $60,500 (25th percentile) and $85,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $104,000.
What does a Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer do?
Core responsibilities include: determine the sequence of machine operations, and select the proper cutting tools needed to machine workpieces into the desired shapes; and analyze job orders, drawings, blueprints, specifications, printed circuit board pattern films, and design data to calculate dimensions, tool selection, machine speeds, and feed rates.
Is pay for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $57,740 in 2020 to $68,120 in 2025, a change of +18% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer pays 33% above the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Need Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
