CNC Programmer: metro pay ranking

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Skilled Trades Headhunters compares published medians for SOC 51-9162 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers, not estimated offers for this particular title.

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.

Highest and lowest published metro medians
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
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$84,260	100	0.73	1.70
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$83,730	60	2.05	1.63
New Haven, CT	$83,200	40	0.77	1.39
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$82,950	1,350	1.17	1.49
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$81,170	50	2.4	1.35
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$79,990	270	0.96	1.36
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$79,480	30	0.62	1.56
Huntsville, AL	$78,910	140	2.87	1.53
Worcester, MA	$78,710	70	1.15	1.36
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$78,010	850	2.39	1.32
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$76,970	70	0.13	1.08
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$76,710	60	0.8	1.56
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$76,650	50	0.64	1.31
Evansville, IN	$76,240	30	1.28	1.64
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$75,910	60	1.33	1.39
Springfield, MA	$75,830	80	2.23	1.46
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$75,660	400	1.81	1.25
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$75,500	370	0.86	1.47
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$75,480	80	0.53	1.37
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$74,030	150	0.65	1.30
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$73,920	70	0.38	1.24
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$73,740	100	1.28	1.58
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	$73,190	40	1.25	1.52
Portland-South Portland, ME	$72,920	30	0.58	1.28
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$72,870	80	1.15	1.49
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$72,790	30	0.78	1.48
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$71,600	180	2.68	1.43
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$71,310	780	0.45	1.16
Kansas City, MO-KS	$71,180	160	0.78	1.40
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$71,060	410	0.56	1.38
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$70,840	140	1.38	1.39
Birmingham, AL	$70,790	80	0.84	1.48
Greeley, CO	$70,730	30	1.54	1.28
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$70,420	100	0.49	1.40
Knoxville, TN	$70,230	40	0.56	1.49
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$70,230	270	0.86	1.45
Reading, PA	$70,060	40	1.11	1.42
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$69,820	720	1.19	1.41
Tulsa, OK	$69,700	130	1.6	1.49
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$69,570	230	0.78	1.12
Spartanburg, SC	$69,470	40	1.2	1.46
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$69,400	800	0.97	1.27
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$69,120	30	1.17	1.39
Winston-Salem, NC	$69,110	80	1.66	1.49
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$69,070	90	1.31	1.48
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$68,860	60	1.61	1.30
Peoria, IL	$68,640	40	1.48	1.38
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$68,520	70	0.36	1.46
Saginaw, MI	$68,260	30	2.26	1.48
Sheboygan, WI	$68,020	250	22.32	1.31
Pittsburgh, PA	$67,930	250	1.25	1.37
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$67,710	30	0.68	1.46
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$67,650	80	1.07	1.31
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$67,400	350	0.67	1.24
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	$67,160	30	1.95	1.24
St. Cloud, MN	$67,050	50	2.75	1.32
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$66,960	70	1.81	1.18
Oklahoma City, OK	$66,950	70	0.56	1.42
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$66,860	650	4.29	1.31
Traverse City, MI	$66,780	40	3.14	1.41
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$66,670	40	0.63	1.41
Rochester, NY	$66,650	220	2.41	1.30
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$66,150	190	0.77	1.32
Syracuse, NY	$66,130	50	0.89	1.25
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$65,870	1,030	2.96	1.26
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$65,670	120	0.47	1.11
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$65,660	50	0.4	1.26
Richmond, VA	$65,630	40	0.33	1.28
Tucson, AZ	$65,520	60	0.87	1.37
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$65,500	80	1.29	1.25
Fort Wayne, IN	$65,490	190	4.64	1.37
Colorado Springs, CO	$65,470	50	0.84	1.24
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$65,430	280	1.38	1.30
Madison, WI	$65,350	120	1.67	1.13
Toledo, OH	$64,940	50	0.94	1.35
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$64,660	130	0.99	1.20
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$64,520	40	1.3	1.33
Rockford, IL	$64,370	60	2.38	1.37
Columbus, OH	$64,230	130	0.62	1.25
Jacksonville, FL	$64,080	50	0.36	1.31
Canton-Massillon, OH	$64,020	50	1.54	1.40
Lancaster, PA	$63,960	80	1.63	1.33
Cleveland, OH	$63,840	490	2.57	1.27
Boise City, ID	$63,790	40	0.49	1.30
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$63,720	60	0.58	1.36
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	$63,570	30	1.79	1.30
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$63,560	480	4.39	1.34
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	$63,100	60	2.32	1.36
Appleton, WI	$62,850	60	2.49	1.26
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$62,800	50	0.99	1.34
Ann Arbor, MI	$62,780	40	1.02	1.13
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$62,570	190	0.36	1.29
Jackson, MI	$62,470	50	4.4	1.31
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$62,220	50	0.21	1.33
Longview, TX	$62,130	40	2.03	1.38
Green Bay, WI	$62,050	80	2.35	1.24
Elkhart-Goshen, IN	$62,020	90	3.96	1.29
Akron, OH	$61,910	110	1.93	1.27
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	$61,870	70	3.11	1.28
Omaha, NE-IA	$61,870	30	0.37	1.25
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$61,600	100	0.82	1.27
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI	$61,470	50	4.52	1.33
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$61,450	240	0.46	1.20
Duluth, MN-WI	$61,450	40	1.61	1.23
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$61,140	70	2.33	1.35
Asheville, NC	$61,110	40	1.11	1.30
Eau Claire, WI	$61,010	30	1.98	1.27
Youngstown-Warren, OH	$61,000	40	1.44	1.39
Niles, MI	$60,850	40	3.88	1.32
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	$60,330	60	3.72	1.27
Wausau, WI	$59,160	40	3.41	1.21
Cedar Rapids, IA	$59,050	40	1.6	1.20
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$58,910	180	0.69	1.20
Bowling Green, KY	$58,800	30	2.09	1.31
Erie, PA	$58,320	40	1.99	1.31
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.

Where does this trade pay most relative to local wages?

Occupation median divided by the same area's all-occupations median
Area	Wage ratio	Median	Location quotient
Wichita, KS	2.10	$99,790	6.93
Naples-Marco Island, FL	1.96	$93,770	1.39
St. Louis, MO-IL	1.88	$94,230	1.19
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	1.70	$84,260	0.73
Evansville, IN	1.64	$76,240	1.28
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	1.63	$83,730	2.05
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	1.58	$73,740	1.28
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	1.56	$76,710	0.8
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	1.56	$79,480	0.62
Huntsville, AL	1.53	$78,910	2.87
HVAC manufacturers-Hanover, PA	1.52	$73,190	1.25
Tulsa, OK	1.49	$69,700	1.6
Knoxville, TN	1.49	$70,230	0.56
Winston-Salem, NC	1.49	$69,110	1.66
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	1.49	$89,190	2.6
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	1.49	$72,870	1.15
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1.49	$82,950	1.17
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	1.48	$72,790	0.78
Greensboro-High Point, NC	1.48	$69,070	1.31
Birmingham, AL	1.48	$70,790	0.84
Saginaw, MI	1.48	$68,260	2.26
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	1.47	$75,500	0.86
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	1.46	$67,710	0.68
Springfield, MA	1.46	$75,830	2.23
Spartanburg, SC	1.46	$69,470	1.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	1.46	$68,520	0.36
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	1.45	$70,230	0.86
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	1.43	$71,600	2.68
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	1.43	$87,880	0.96
Oklahoma City, OK	1.42	$66,950	0.56
Reading, PA	1.42	$70,060	1.11
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	1.41	$69,820	1.19
Traverse City, MI	1.41	$66,780	3.14
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	1.41	$66,670	0.63
Kansas City, MO-KS	1.40	$71,180	0.78
Canton-Massillon, OH	1.40	$64,020	1.54
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	1.40	$70,420	0.49
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	1.39	$70,840	1.38
Youngstown-Warren, OH	1.39	$61,000	1.44
Eugene-Springfield, OR	1.39	$69,120	1.17
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	1.39	$75,910	1.33
New Haven, CT	1.39	$83,200	0.77
Peoria, IL	1.38	$68,640	1.48
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	1.38	$71,060	0.56
Fort Smith, AR-OK	1.38	$54,500	1.89
Longview, TX	1.38	$62,130	2.03
Fort Wayne, IN	1.37	$65,490	4.64
Tucson, AZ	1.37	$65,520	0.87
Pittsburgh, PA	1.37	$67,930	1.25
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	1.37	$75,480	0.53
Rockford, IL	1.37	$64,370	2.38
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	1.36	$79,990	0.96
Worcester, MA	1.36	$78,710	1.15
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	1.36	$63,720	0.58
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	1.36	$63,100	2.32
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	1.35	$81,170	2.4
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	1.35	$61,140	2.33
Toledo, OH	1.35	$64,940	0.94
Chattanooga, TN-GA	1.34	$62,800	0.99
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	1.34	$63,560	4.39
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI	1.33	$61,470	4.52
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	1.33	$62,220	0.21
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	1.33	$64,520	1.3
Lancaster, PA	1.33	$63,960	1.63
Niles, MI	1.32	$60,850	3.88
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	1.32	$66,150	0.77
St. Cloud, MN	1.32	$67,050	2.75
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	1.32	$78,010	2.39
Boulder, CO	1.31	$91,420	1.04
Jacksonville, FL	1.31	$64,080	0.36
Erie, PA	1.31	$58,320	1.99
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	1.31	$76,650	0.64
Sheboygan, WI	1.31	$68,020	22.32
Jackson, MI	1.31	$62,470	4.4
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	1.31	$66,860	4.29
Bowling Green, KY	1.31	$58,800	2.09
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	1.31	$67,650	1.07
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	1.30	$68,860	1.61
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	1.30	$65,430	1.38
Asheville, NC	1.30	$61,110	1.11
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	1.30	$63,570	1.79
Rochester, NY	1.30	$66,650	2.41
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	1.30	$74,030	0.65
Boise City, ID	1.30	$63,790	0.49
Elkhart-Goshen, IN	1.29	$62,020	3.96
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	1.29	$62,570	0.36
Greeley, CO	1.28	$70,730	1.54
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	1.28	$85,560	1.08
Portland-South Portland, ME	1.28	$72,920	0.58
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	1.28	$61,870	3.11
Richmond, VA	1.28	$65,630	0.33
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	1.27	$61,600	0.82
Cleveland, OH	1.27	$63,840	2.57
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	1.27	$60,330	3.72
Eau Claire, WI	1.27	$61,010	1.98
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	1.27	$69,400	0.97
Akron, OH	1.27	$61,910	1.93
commercial-vehicle manufacturers-Warren-Dearborn, MI	1.26	$65,870	2.96
Raleigh-Cary, NC	1.26	$65,660	0.4
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	1.26	$93,640	0.59
Appleton, WI	1.26	$62,850	2.49
Columbus, OH	1.25	$64,230	0.62
Syracuse, NY	1.25	$66,130	0.89
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	1.25	$65,500	1.29
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	1.25	$75,660	1.81
Omaha, NE-IA	1.25	$61,870	0.37
Green Bay, WI	1.24	$62,050	2.35
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	1.24	$67,160	1.95
Colorado Springs, CO	1.24	$65,470	0.84
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	1.24	$67,400	0.67
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	1.24	$73,920	0.38
Duluth, MN-WI	1.23	$61,450	1.61
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	1.23	$57,200	0.31
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	1.23	$102,980	2.01
Lynchburg, VA	1.22	$56,380	1.94
Wausau, WI	1.21	$59,160	3.41
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	1.20	$64,660	0.99
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	1.20	$58,910	0.69
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	1.20	$61,450	0.46
Cedar Rapids, IA	1.20	$59,050	1.6
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	1.20	$86,860	1.04
Columbus, IN	1.19	$57,770	4.4
Manchester-Nashua, NH	1.18	$66,960	1.81
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	1.17	$53,770	0.59
Reno, NV	1.16	$57,690	0.85
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	1.16	$71,310	0.45
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	1.15	$56,950	1.65
Dubuque, IA	1.14	$55,770	5.03
Ann Arbor, MI	1.13	$62,780	1.02
Madison, WI	1.13	$65,350	1.67
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	1.12	$69,570	0.78
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	1.11	$65,670	0.47
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	1.08	$76,970	0.13
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	0.95	$46,020	2.74
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	0.85	$51,540	0.51

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.

National percentile table Methodology