Machinist Apprenticeship in Delaware

Wages, programs & career outlook

Machinists set up and operate the lathes, mills, and CNC machines that turn raw metal into precision parts — aerospace components, medical devices, automotive internals. The job mixes shop-floor operation with blueprint reading, CAM programming, and quality inspection.

DE Median Salary
$60,320/yr
+7% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
DE Employment
390
Machinists employed
DE Sponsors
2
Registered programs
Training Term
4.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
0.0%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
29,500
Nationally, per yr

Machinist Apprenticeship in Delaware: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in Delaware combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 4.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Delaware pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in Delaware are $60,320/year, +7% above the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Delaware has 2 registered apprenticeship sponsors for machinist listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 0.0% job growth for machinists nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 29,500 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Delaware-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Delaware Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in Delaware across all experience levels.

10th pct
$38,930
Median
$60,320
90th pct
$96,220
Middle 50% of workers earn $46,830$73,110

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in Delaware

No machinist apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Delaware. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Machinist Apprenticeship Sponsors in Delaware

2 machinist-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Delaware. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current machinist apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Extreme Machining, LLC Newark New Castle County
PolarStar Engineering and Machine Newark New Castle County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

Filter by occupation code 51-4041 and state DE for the most relevant results.

Machinist Apprenticeship in Delaware

Delaware has only 2 Machinist-adjacent registered sponsors in our directory — program slots may be competitive and early applications give the best shot at placement. Direct outreach to union halls in the state's largest cities often matters more than formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Machinists earn in Delaware?
Machinists in Delaware earn a median salary of $60,320/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is above the national median of $56,150 for the trade.
What is the length of a Machinist apprenticeship program?
A typical Machinist apprenticeship lasts approximately 4 years (8,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Machinists?
Apprenticeships offer paid training with no tuition, while trade school requires upfront costs but may be shorter. Many Machinists combine both — starting with trade school basics before entering an apprenticeship.
Where can I apply for a Machinist apprenticeship in Delaware?
Contact one of the 2 Machinist-adjacent registered sponsors in Delaware (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
Do Machinist apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Delaware, a first-year Machinist apprentice might earn around $30,160/yr (roughly half the $60,320 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 4-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Machinists also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 332 Precision Metal Working programs nationwide →
Too few Delaware-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Delaware

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.