CNC Programmer Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for CNC Programmer in the United States was $68,120 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $58,270 and $81,890.
Broader occupation Our title "CNC Programmer" is reported by BLS as SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers. BLS groups CNC Programmer within Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
CNC Programmer, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $47,530, half earned less than the median of $68,120, 90% earned less than $100,320 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,530 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $58,270 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $68,120 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $81,890 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $100,320 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $72,210 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
CNC Programmer, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $22.85, half earned less than the median of $32.75, 90% earned less than $48.23 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.85 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.01 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $32.75 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $39.37 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $48.23 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $34.72 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 28,500 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $62,570 | $51,000 to $79,880 | 190 | 0.36 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $58,910 | $43,060 to $74,480 | 180 | 0.69 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,220 | $52,960 to $65,150 | 50 | 0.21 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,660 | $58,040 to $79,880 | 50 | 0.4 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,310 | $56,900 to $84,860 | 780 | 0.45 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,310 | $56,900 to $84,860 | 780 | 0.45 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $71,060 | $60,730 to $80,240 | 410 | 0.56 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $69,820 | $58,250 to $81,220 | 720 | 1.19 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $69,400 | $61,150 to $82,080 | 800 | 0.97 |
How does CNC Programmer pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 51-9162, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 23 | $64,420 | Annual | 430 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $63,950 | Annual | 410 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $65,830 | Annual | 40 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $76,140 | Annual | 140 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $59,790 | Annual | 230 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $90,380 | Annual | 70 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 311500 | $86,190 | Annual | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $68,750 | Annual | 24,950 |
| Textile Product Mills | 314000 | $60,630 | Annual | 30 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $69,550 | Annual | 230 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $67,250 | Annual | 200 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $59,700 | Annual | 90 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 322200 | $58,070 | Annual | 60 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 323000 | $67,490 | Annual | 110 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 323100 | $67,490 | Annual | 110 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $81,230 | Annual | 80 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $81,220 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $50,180 | Annual | 1,180 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $48,980 | Annual | 1,150 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $70,880 | Annual | 30 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $60,650 | Annual | 570 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $63,010 | Annual | 510 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 331100 | $51,110 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 331200 | $72,480 | Annual | 50 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 331300 | $65,800 | Annual | 70 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 331400 | $58,850 | Annual | 100 |
| Foundries | 331500 | $63,940 | Annual | 250 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $68,140 | Annual | 9,360 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $66,860 | Annual | 2,330 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $63,310 | Annual | 1,570 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $73,670 | Annual | 5,420 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 332800 | $55,350 | Annual | 40 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $69,820 | Annual | 5,550 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $70,700 | Annual | 2,670 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $73,210 | Annual | 210 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 333500 | $65,880 | Annual | 2,420 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 333600 | $78,090 | Annual | 250 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $72,380 | Annual | 1,050 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | $65,190 | Annual | 30 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $78,280 | Annual | 400 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $70,480 | Annual | 570 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $66,910 | Annual | 530 |
| Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 335100 | $68,660 | Annual | 70 |
| Household Appliance Manufacturing | 335200 | $65,470 | Annual | 40 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $64,410 | Annual | 250 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $69,060 | Annual | 160 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $76,960 | Annual | 3,690 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $74,830 | Annual | 40 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $60,820 | Annual | 100 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $57,520 | Annual | 1,260 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $97,710 | Annual | 2,060 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 336500 | $65,610 | Annual | 40 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $63,290 | Annual | 90 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336900 | $67,380 | Annual | 90 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $60,700 | Annual | 670 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $60,740 | Annual | 670 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $68,960 | Annual | 1,210 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 339100 | $77,170 | Annual | 640 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $62,970 | Annual | 580 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $66,990 | Annual | 30 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $66,990 | Annual | 30 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $36,600 | Annual | 40 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $36,600 | Annual | 40 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $36,600 | Annual | 40 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $76,440 | Annual | 840 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $76,440 | Annual | 840 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $77,730 | Annual | 520 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $62,710 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $70,610 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $96,770 | Annual | 100 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $61,450 | Annual | 140 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $61,450 | Annual | 130 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Machine Shop Supervisor (51-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $102,980 | 420 | 2.01 | 1.23 |
| Wichita, KS | $99,790 | 390 | 6.93 | 2.10 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $94,230 | 290 | 1.19 | 1.88 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $93,770 | 40 | 1.39 | 1.96 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $93,640 | 260 | 0.59 | 1.26 |
| Boulder, CO | $91,420 | 40 | 1.04 | 1.31 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $89,190 | 290 | 2.6 | 1.49 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $87,880 | 70 | 0.96 | 1.43 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $86,860 | 400 | 1.04 | 1.20 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $85,560 | 540 | 1.08 | 1.28 |
| Columbus, IN | $57,770 | 40 | 4.4 | 1.19 |
| Reno, NV | $57,690 | 40 | 0.85 | 1.16 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $57,200 | 60 | 0.31 | 1.23 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $56,950 | 330 | 1.65 | 1.15 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $56,380 | 30 | 1.94 | 1.22 |
| Dubuque, IA | $55,770 | 50 | 5.03 | 1.14 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $54,500 | 30 | 1.89 | 1.38 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $53,770 | 40 | 0.59 | 1.17 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $51,540 | 30 | 0.51 | 0.85 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $46,020 | 90 | 2.74 | 0.95 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for CNC Programmer in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For CNC Programmer in National, the published median for SOC 51-9162, Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, is $68,120 per year. The middle half of the CNC Programmer in National wage distribution runs from $58,270 to $81,890, a width of $23,620 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national CNC Programmer comparison, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $82,950 per year while commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI reports $65,870 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States CNC Programmer figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, read alongside CNC Programmer in National, are Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing at $97,710 per year (NAICS 336400); Scientific Research and Development Services at $96,770 per year (NAICS 541700); Food Manufacturing at $90,380 per year (NAICS 311000). Those CNC Programmer in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The CNC Programmer in National median was $65,670 per year in May 2024, compared with $68,120 in May 2025, a published difference of $2,450. That CNC Programmer in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $65,670 and $68,120 CNC Programmer in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $68,120 per year for CNC Programmer in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The CNC Programmer in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for CNC Programmer in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for CNC Programmer in National is broader: BLS groups CNC Programmer within Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. When calibrating a CNC Programmer in National opening, the work checks include machining software/machining software/NX/machining software; post edits; ask for evidence of that scope instead of using a percentile as a substitute for qualification. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a CNC Programmer in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a CNC Programmer in National buyer?
CNC Programmer in National has a published middle-half band of $58,270 to $81,890, a width of $23,620 per year, with median $68,120. An offer inside that CNC Programmer in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring CNC Programmer in National?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI are the largest-employment comparison markets used for CNC Programmer in National. Comparing those Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers tables with the $68,120 CNC Programmer in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to CNC Programmer in National?
CNC Programmer in National uses national industry rows for SOC 51-9162, not local sector-specific wages. Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing leads the selected sortable rows at $97,710 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for CNC Programmer in National.
What changed between the releases for CNC Programmer in National?
CNC Programmer in National moved from $65,670 in May 2024 to $68,120 in May 2025. These CNC Programmer in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 51-9162. Published annual median: $65,670 (May 2024) and $68,120 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.