Machinist Salary in Kentucky: $61,500 Average

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Average base salary, Kentucky

$61,500 / year

≈ $5,150 per month · $29.57 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Kentucky · median $60,500

25th percentile
$50,500Average
$61,50075th percentile
$74,000

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.

Machinist salary by state

Alabama$60,000

Alaska$84,000

Arizona$62,000

Arkansas$57,000

California$63,500

Colorado$65,000

Connecticut$66,500

Delaware$67,500

District of Columbia$76,000

Florida$59,500

Georgia$57,500

Hawaii$84,500

Idaho$61,500

Illinois$61,000

Indiana$58,500

Iowa$59,000

Kansas$56,500

Kentucky$61,500

Louisiana$65,000

Maine$63,000

Maryland$63,500

Massachusetts$72,000

Michigan$57,000

Minnesota$64,500

Mississippi$57,500

Missouri$63,500

Montana$63,500

Nebraska$61,000

Nevada$58,000

New Hampshire$64,500

New Jersey$69,000

New Mexico$63,000

New York$64,000

North Carolina$57,000

North Dakota$66,000

Ohio$58,500

Oklahoma$55,500

Oregon$68,000

Pennsylvania$59,000

Rhode Island$62,500

South Carolina$59,000

South Dakota$53,500

Tennessee$55,000

Texas$62,500

Utah$64,000

Vermont$65,000

Virginia$65,000

Washington$74,000

West Virginia$53,000

Wisconsin$60,000

Wyoming$67,000

About this role

Machinist is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Machinist work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Machinists do

Typical education: High School Diploma

Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments, such as micrometers or vernier calipers.
Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, or grinders.
Measure, examine, or test completed units to check for defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments, such as micrometers.
Set up, adjust, or operate basic or specialized machine tools used to perform precision machining operations.
Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools.

Top skills: Operation and Control Operations Monitoring Monitoring Critical Thinking Troubleshooting Speaking

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Machinist pay by experience level

Entry level$40,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$49,000

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$61,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$70,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$83,000

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

+0%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

29,500

projected openings per year

Growing slower than average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Machinist salary by industry

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

101,640 workers

$57,500

Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing

77,100 workers

$57,500

Machinery Manufacturing

59,550 workers

$61,000

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

37,190 workers

$66,000

Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)

28,550 workers

$61,000

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing

21,200 workers

$59,000

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing

19,950 workers

$70,000

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)

16,400 workers

$57,000

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

11,210 workers

$63,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

9,820 workers

$57,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Machinist pays 10% above the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).

Similar-paying roles in Production

Semiconductor Processing Technician$62,500

Gem and Diamond Workers$60,000

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$63,000

Tire Builder$59,000

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,500

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$64,500

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,000

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$57,500

Model Makers, Wood$66,000

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$56,000

Careers related to Machinist

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$56,000

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,500

Tool and Die Makers$69,000

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,500

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,000

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer$74,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Machinist make?

The average base salary for a Machinist in the United States is $61,500 per year, or about $29.57 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $49,500 and $70,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Production roles?

The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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