Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
Median $68,120
Occupation · SOC 51-9161
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators: pay and where the jobs are
What computer numerically controlled tool operators earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$50,690 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $54,320
- Median hourly wage
- $24.37
- Mean hourly wage
- $26.11
- Employment
- 169,450
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9161.
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How much do computer numerically controlled tool operators make?
The median annual wage for computer numerically controlled tool operators was $50,690 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,140 and the highest-paid 10% more than $73,890. As an hourly rate, the median is $24.37. About 169,450 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Washington ($107,920), Massachusetts ($61,630) and North Dakota ($60,250). Washington also comes out on top after taxes and local prices.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for computer numerically controlled tool operators looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,140 | $18.34 | $3,178 | $2,735 |
| 25th percentile | $44,930 | $21.60 | $3,744 | $3,190 |
| Median | $50,690 | $24.37 | $4,224 | $3,576 |
| 75th percentile | $61,760 | $29.69 | $5,147 | $4,317 |
| 90th percentile | $73,890 | $35.53 | $6,158 | $5,068 |
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators: pay by state
48 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$77,799 take-home in national prices
2
$56,870 take-home in national prices
3
$49,310 take-home in national prices
Where a median computer numerically controlled tool operator paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 2,270 | $107,920 | $54,590 | $116,670 | $83,255 | $77,799 |
| Massachusetts | 2,500 | $61,630 | $42,810 | $77,920 | $48,555 | $45,912 |
| North Dakota | 250 | $60,250 | $46,530 | $72,660 | $50,591 | $56,870 |
| Connecticut | 2,740 | $59,840 | $45,410 | $74,310 | $47,421 | $45,769 |
| New Hampshire | 1,770 | $59,730 | $46,750 | $80,280 | $50,173 | $48,167 |
| Maine | 440 | $59,660 | $42,880 | $62,250 | $47,469 | $48,912 |
| Vermont | 1,190 | $57,500 | $44,480 | $81,820 | $46,889 | $47,866 |
| Rhode Island | 540 | $57,390 | $44,010 | $74,630 | $46,126 | $45,098 |
| Minnesota | 4,290 | $56,780 | $43,890 | $76,340 | $45,215 | $45,847 |
| Oregon | 2,920 | $56,670 | $42,850 | $76,980 | $43,657 | $42,237 |
| California | 21,680 | $56,510 | $39,670 | $76,840 | $45,421 | $41,023 |
| Colorado | 1,580 | $55,270 | $44,450 | $77,260 | $44,623 | $43,301 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,840 | $54,590 | $40,410 | $74,420 | $44,329 | $45,432 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $54,170 | $40,800 | $75,560 | $45,706 | $49,310 |
| New Jersey | 1,770 | $54,100 | $35,430 | $75,230 | $43,790 | $40,247 |
| Idaho | 480 | $53,340 | $40,340 | $77,560 | $43,320 | $45,364 |
| New York | 5,530 | $53,340 | $39,800 | $72,950 | $42,494 | $39,375 |
| Wisconsin | 8,330 | $52,690 | $40,800 | $72,290 | $42,807 | $45,494 |
| Alabama | 3,120 | $52,380 | $38,320 | $76,360 | $42,094 | $47,390 |
| Iowa | 4,750 | $52,300 | $39,450 | $63,040 | $42,867 | $48,845 |
| Montana | 240 | $51,880 | $39,040 | $68,880 | $42,184 | $44,571 |
| South Carolina | 2,460 | $51,800 | $38,350 | $67,980 | $42,682 | $45,528 |
| Missouri | 1,500 | $51,000 | $37,790 | $68,730 | $41,699 | $45,915 |
| South Dakota | 1,420 | $50,750 | $39,910 | $64,720 | $42,958 | $48,493 |
| North Carolina | 3,680 | $50,440 | $37,410 | $80,770 | $41,205 | $43,683 |
| Arkansas | 2,180 | $50,280 | $35,180 | $69,250 | $41,207 | $47,399 |
| Delaware | 170 | $50,010 | $39,450 | $66,560 | $40,064 | $40,141 |
| Tennessee | 1,980 | $49,980 | $38,000 | $64,620 | $42,339 | $46,086 |
| Louisiana | 670 | $49,800 | $35,610 | $64,570 | $41,087 | $46,580 |
| West Virginia | 160 | $49,630 | $34,450 | $64,550 | $40,629 | $45,397 |
| Virginia | 1,890 | $49,590 | $36,620 | $69,720 | $39,988 | $39,552 |
| Nebraska | 830 | $49,360 | $37,950 | $63,070 | $40,474 | $44,920 |
| Kentucky | 1,740 | $49,180 | $37,900 | $64,260 | $40,092 | $44,469 |
| Ohio | 21,250 | $49,160 | $37,170 | $70,630 | $40,772 | $43,947 |
| Arizona | 1,800 | $48,950 | $40,400 | $65,780 | $40,681 | $40,408 |
| Indiana | 9,690 | $48,590 | $38,550 | $71,170 | $39,818 | $42,664 |
| Texas | 13,190 | $48,480 | $34,940 | $69,760 | $41,134 | $42,381 |
| Illinois | 8,170 | $48,420 | $38,990 | $68,950 | $38,833 | $38,850 |
| Kansas | 2,540 | $48,400 | $39,660 | $70,240 | $39,168 | $43,488 |
| Oklahoma | 1,490 | $47,760 | $34,490 | $62,190 | $38,951 | $44,342 |
| Georgia | 2,200 | $47,630 | $36,490 | $72,610 | $38,822 | $40,317 |
| Michigan | 7,330 | $47,250 | $36,190 | $62,800 | $38,388 | $39,897 |
| Maryland | 1,800 | $46,870 | $32,060 | $74,010 | $37,980 | $36,185 |
| Nevada | 400 | $46,670 | $36,500 | $68,270 | $39,679 | $39,688 |
| Florida | 4,040 | $46,170 | $36,430 | $61,860 | $39,278 | $37,981 |
| Utah | 1,170 | $45,140 | $36,300 | $61,180 | $37,057 | $37,483 |
| New Mexico | 70 | $44,970 | $32,560 | $61,670 | $37,347 | $40,501 |
| Mississippi | 1,290 | $39,520 | $33,280 | $60,080 | $33,086 | $38,050 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9161. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.