AI Career Radar

Machinists

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

AI exposure50 / 100High exposure

Based on O*NET work context for this occupation. This score does not predict individual job losses.

What drives the score

Automation and repetition raise exposure; freedom to set tasks lowers it. Each measure uses a 0–100 scale.

Degree of automation51
Freedom to set tasks72
Repeating the same tasks72
$58,750Median annual wage, U.S.BLS OEWS
+1%Jobs, 2025 to 2035 (below average)BLS Employment Projections
54Skill durability (fragile)Transferability, out of 100

How well your skills transfer

Each skill is scored on how well it transfers into occupations that are growing and less exposed. The ones high on both importance and transfer are worth deepening.

Highest transferability first

Both scores out of 100

Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Critical Thinking
63
53
Monitoring
63
53
Active Listening
63
50
Speaking
63
50
Judgment and Decision Making
63
44
Coordination
62
50
Complex Problem Solving
62
50
Active Learning
62
44
Reading Comprehension
61
47
Time Management
61
47
Show 25 more skills
Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Social Perceptiveness
60
47
Writing
60
38
Instructing
58
38
Learning Strategies
58
28
Systems Analysis
57
38
Systems Evaluation
56
38
Service Orientation
56
31
Persuasion
54
31
Mathematics
53
47
Negotiation
52
35
Science
52
13
Management of Personnel Resources
50
25
Operations Analysis
49
25
Installation
48
38
Troubleshooting
47
50
Quality Control Analysis
47
50
Equipment Maintenance
47
47
Equipment Selection
47
41
Technology Design
47
22
Management of Material Resources
47
19
Management of Financial Resources
47
16
Operations Monitoring
46
53
Repairing
46
47
Programming
45
19
Operation and Control
43
56

Compare how well you can use each skill in growing, low-exposure occupations with its importance in your current role. How we score skills.

Jobs you could move to

Compare related occupations by skill overlap, retraining effort, pay and projected growth. Choose a priority to adjust the ranking. Licensing requirements may limit some routes.

85/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$120,230
10-yr growth
+34.6%
Skill gap
24%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Writing, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Active Listening

82/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$53,140
10-yr growth
+36.5%
Skill gap
10%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Installation, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension

81/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$95,320
10-yr growth
+10.3%
Skill gap
11%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Systems Analysis, Installation, Active Listening, Troubleshooting

80/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$129,180
10-yr growth
+21%
Skill gap
22%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Reading Comprehension, Writing, Systems Analysis, Active Listening

80/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$135,880
10-yr growth
+21.1%
Skill gap
22%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Active Learning, Monitoring

A second source of income, before you need it

This page can tell you where Machinists could go and what the move costs. The other route is not a move at all: something small of your own, running alongside the job, started while there is no pressure on it.

Where to learn the missing half: Google Career Certificates for systems analysis · active learning, LinkedIn Learning for writing · speaking, edX for mathematics · reading and PlanetNoCode for complex problem solving. Some of those are affiliate links. It never changes what we list.

Snapshot: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025-2035. Scoring v2.1.0-onet-31.0. Method on the how it works page.