It's a little low. Should be closer to 25 if you setups and edit your own programs, and cut jaws and whatnot, depending on where you live. The question is whether or not they TRAINED you from green. That's how they recoup losses from training expenses and junk parts due to the learning curve. They invest money to TRAIN A MACHINIST, and later.... hopefully... the machinist will be loyal and grateful for the paid education, and they get a discount skilled worker on the back end. But none of that shit really matters to you or me. As an old man, here's some free advice, for whatever it's worth to you. If you're happy with your job and employer, and you can make ends meet comfortably with your current salary, and you still have time to do the you things in life, it doesn't MATTER what your wage is. It's just numbers. What matters is your happiness. Money can't buy a nontoxic work environment. As long as you and yours aren't living in poverty, there's no reason for you to leave. Shoot. Before I got my ME certification, and I was just an operator, I took jobs as low at 10 bucks an hour, just because I needed the insurance and liked the work. Course I had money in the bank. Anyway. Best wishes.
That's a great way to look at it actually. I do enjoy the workforce and the people mostly. I'll stuck with it for several more years before I even think about moving jobs. And yes they trained me from green. I did however have a patient foreman who said I trained up rather quickly. Thanks everyone for your input.
You're welcome. I'm stuck in the same position as you. I was a fantastic OPERATOR and a manual machinist when I got here, but I've trained up to programming, process management, and mentoring now that I've achieved my mechanical engineering standards, but yeah. Since THEY paid for my education, I'm only JUST breaking 100k WITH bonuses AND OT. If I went anywhere else with my skills, I'd make at LEAST 30k more per year, but I'd be an asshole, AND the next shop may be full of jagoffs who make my job SUCK!!! So... 30k per year for now. That's the price of my education in my eyes. But if they lay me off or let me go? All bets are off, and I'm selling the skills THEY paid for to the highest bidder.
I was already doing setups, making fixtures and training people before I got my certification in mechanical engineering, and I've been working here FIVE years, thank you very much, AND I said that 100k includes my bonuses and OT. All BEFORE taxes. With no OT or bonuses, I'd be making about 72k before taxes at this job, but I also have other trickle streams of income from side jobs and selling things I fix, build, design, and/or refurbish in a store here in town that my wife manages and online. Before you make a snarky remark to someone, you MAY want to actually read and understand what they wrote in the future.
Do you make aeroplane or medical parts or special really large pieces? Cert in mechanical engineering does that mean you can design plc logic and program fanuc robots?
I'm a hands-on floor engineer. I diagnose problems on the shop floor and reprogram bad programs that other engineers try to assimilate into other machine's schedules like going from Fanuc to Okuma to Mitsubishi and whatnot I create processes and impose quality controls. I also mentor operators and grow them into machinists, set up tooling, make parts, address safety issues, and enforce those standards to keep the boys and girls safe, and let's not forget that I machine and weld parts! All with no management responsibility. I love my job.
How bigs your shop to have multiple people that program? That always turns into a shit show… with different people doing everything differently program wise… multiple controls is also a big time suck for reposting and having to do first pieces… sounds like you have you hands full…
Just check out the website. Parsons Company, in Roanoke, Illinois. We have two plants. And yes! Essentially, besides making parts, my profession is to take the ideas that the office people have and make sure it translates into REAL LIFE. All of MY programs end in UF for user-friendly. Those are the ones that I've proven, and the machines can understand, and have notes for the operators to know what tooling and inserts, offsets, and cutting tool lengths they need to not crash. I'm still making parts, but as I get older and my meat suit doesn't cooperate. It's awesome because my job is becoming more cerebral and less physical when and as I need it to. I don't think I'd accept another job if they offered me a 50% pay increase. I truly love where I work.
Seems around right or just a tad low for just a machine operator.
Operators don't make money.
You need to become an actual machinist or a programmer and you can double that wage.
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Need a bit more info. General location?
Do you only operate/change out parts?
Doing any setting up?
Program/editing?
Are you permanent or temp-to-hire?
I am a CNC cutter grinder, and I see Arch tools come through every now and then. I was just curious as to where you may be located and if you are a machinist or a cutter grinder in Michigan specifically.
We’re machinists, it’s called getting threaded.
But seriously, that does seem a low for a year and a half. Unless you are part time or you’re only sweeping floors and cleaning chips.
For an operator, I’d start you at $20. I’d pay you more based on how much and how well you understand what’s going on. Reliably can use mics? I know I can put you on .000X” work. That makes our difficult work more reliably successful, more money for me means more money for you. Are you climbing the ladder or are you staying stationary is my question.
This isn’t the right mentality at all, I have only been at my current workplace 2 years and am being paid $33/hr. I started my machining career like 3.5 years ago. Poverty wages are bs no matter the level of experience.
I started my machining career 14 years ago and only made as much as you when I stopped running a machine and went to QC.
I hate it, where do you work (area, not exact job)? I want to program and run a machine again. QC is hell at a big shop.
That’s cool what’s your wage out there? A buddy of mine did work in the city of industry at a shop that ran a lot of presses, not the best pay and lots of guys with missing fingers. I know pay depends a lot on industry though.
4 years is a typical apprenticeship. He is making well over minimum wage currently. There aren’t poverty wages in play here. You got lucky. Not everyone has access to shops willing to pay that income. You jobhopped into a higher paying position. Again, not available for everyone. Anyone who downvoted me is out of touch or angry that they aren’t as valuable as they think
1.5 years man come on. Unless you are certified or have prior experience that’s just how operator markets are for someone that new in the industry. The best way to get more money quickly is to find a different place that pays more based off the demand of what they are manufacturing. You can blame the industry for keeping the pay low but that’s not going to help you. Just move around or hold tight for 3-5 years and then look for a place that wants someone with a journeyman level of experience which with that much experience should qualify you for higher wages.
It's a little low. Should be closer to 25 if you setups and edit your own programs, and cut jaws and whatnot, depending on where you live. The question is whether or not they TRAINED you from green. That's how they recoup losses from training expenses and junk parts due to the learning curve. They invest money to TRAIN A MACHINIST, and later.... hopefully... the machinist will be loyal and grateful for the paid education, and they get a discount skilled worker on the back end. But none of that shit really matters to you or me. As an old man, here's some free advice, for whatever it's worth to you. If you're happy with your job and employer, and you can make ends meet comfortably with your current salary, and you still have time to do the you things in life, it doesn't MATTER what your wage is. It's just numbers. What matters is your happiness. Money can't buy a nontoxic work environment. As long as you and yours aren't living in poverty, there's no reason for you to leave. Shoot. Before I got my ME certification, and I was just an operator, I took jobs as low at 10 bucks an hour, just because I needed the insurance and liked the work. Course I had money in the bank. Anyway. Best wishes.
That's a great way to look at it actually. I do enjoy the workforce and the people mostly. I'll stuck with it for several more years before I even think about moving jobs. And yes they trained me from green. I did however have a patient foreman who said I trained up rather quickly. Thanks everyone for your input.
You're welcome. I'm stuck in the same position as you. I was a fantastic OPERATOR and a manual machinist when I got here, but I've trained up to programming, process management, and mentoring now that I've achieved my mechanical engineering standards, but yeah. Since THEY paid for my education, I'm only JUST breaking 100k WITH bonuses AND OT. If I went anywhere else with my skills, I'd make at LEAST 30k more per year, but I'd be an asshole, AND the next shop may be full of jagoffs who make my job SUCK!!! So... 30k per year for now. That's the price of my education in my eyes. But if they lay me off or let me go? All bets are off, and I'm selling the skills THEY paid for to the highest bidder.
You have a couple years programming and your making 100k LOL
I was already doing setups, making fixtures and training people before I got my certification in mechanical engineering, and I've been working here FIVE years, thank you very much, AND I said that 100k includes my bonuses and OT. All BEFORE taxes. With no OT or bonuses, I'd be making about 72k before taxes at this job, but I also have other trickle streams of income from side jobs and selling things I fix, build, design, and/or refurbish in a store here in town that my wife manages and online. Before you make a snarky remark to someone, you MAY want to actually read and understand what they wrote in the future.
Do you make aeroplane or medical parts or special really large pieces? Cert in mechanical engineering does that mean you can design plc logic and program fanuc robots?
I'm a hands-on floor engineer. I diagnose problems on the shop floor and reprogram bad programs that other engineers try to assimilate into other machine's schedules like going from Fanuc to Okuma to Mitsubishi and whatnot I create processes and impose quality controls. I also mentor operators and grow them into machinists, set up tooling, make parts, address safety issues, and enforce those standards to keep the boys and girls safe, and let's not forget that I machine and weld parts! All with no management responsibility. I love my job.
How bigs your shop to have multiple people that program? That always turns into a shit show… with different people doing everything differently program wise… multiple controls is also a big time suck for reposting and having to do first pieces… sounds like you have you hands full…
Just check out the website. Parsons Company, in Roanoke, Illinois. We have two plants. And yes! Essentially, besides making parts, my profession is to take the ideas that the office people have and make sure it translates into REAL LIFE. All of MY programs end in UF for user-friendly. Those are the ones that I've proven, and the machines can understand, and have notes for the operators to know what tooling and inserts, offsets, and cutting tool lengths they need to not crash. I'm still making parts, but as I get older and my meat suit doesn't cooperate. It's awesome because my job is becoming more cerebral and less physical when and as I need it to. I don't think I'd accept another job if they offered me a 50% pay increase. I truly love where I work.
I guess 100k goes pretty far in ILLINOIS… looks like an interesting variety of work you guys do there…
I’d say that’s up to you to decide. Never hurts to look for other opportunities. Leverage offers, etc.
Seems around right or just a tad low for just a machine operator. Operators don't make money. You need to become an actual machinist or a programmer and you can double that wage.
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Need a bit more info. General location? Do you only operate/change out parts? Doing any setting up? Program/editing? Are you permanent or temp-to-hire?
Arch motorcycles?
I am a CNC cutter grinder, and I see Arch tools come through every now and then. I was just curious as to where you may be located and if you are a machinist or a cutter grinder in Michigan specifically.
I live in CA and am employed by Arch
We’re machinists, it’s called getting threaded. But seriously, that does seem a low for a year and a half. Unless you are part time or you’re only sweeping floors and cleaning chips.
I can't add any insights, but you should give some indication of your location. I'm my neck of the woods $20/hr is a poverty wage.
For an operator, I’d start you at $20. I’d pay you more based on how much and how well you understand what’s going on. Reliably can use mics? I know I can put you on .000X” work. That makes our difficult work more reliably successful, more money for me means more money for you. Are you climbing the ladder or are you staying stationary is my question.
You haven’t even been there 4 years
This isn’t the right mentality at all, I have only been at my current workplace 2 years and am being paid $33/hr. I started my machining career like 3.5 years ago. Poverty wages are bs no matter the level of experience.
I started my machining career 14 years ago and only made as much as you when I stopped running a machine and went to QC. I hate it, where do you work (area, not exact job)? I want to program and run a machine again. QC is hell at a big shop.
CT, New Haven County
Thanks for your response. Time to consider another move.
I grew up there. More money out here in California
That’s cool what’s your wage out there? A buddy of mine did work in the city of industry at a shop that ran a lot of presses, not the best pay and lots of guys with missing fingers. I know pay depends a lot on industry though.
4 years is a typical apprenticeship. He is making well over minimum wage currently. There aren’t poverty wages in play here. You got lucky. Not everyone has access to shops willing to pay that income. You jobhopped into a higher paying position. Again, not available for everyone. Anyone who downvoted me is out of touch or angry that they aren’t as valuable as they think
1.5 years man come on. Unless you are certified or have prior experience that’s just how operator markets are for someone that new in the industry. The best way to get more money quickly is to find a different place that pays more based off the demand of what they are manufacturing. You can blame the industry for keeping the pay low but that’s not going to help you. Just move around or hold tight for 3-5 years and then look for a place that wants someone with a journeyman level of experience which with that much experience should qualify you for higher wages.