Machinist Apprenticeship in Iowa

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.

IA Median Salary
$53,400/yr
-5% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
IA Employment
3,010
Machinists employed
IA Sponsors
10
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 Iowa: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in Iowa 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.

Iowa pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in Iowa are $53,400/year, -5% below the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Iowa has 10 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 — Iowa-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Iowa Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in Iowa across all experience levels.

10th pct
$42,280
Median
$53,400
90th pct
$68,930
Middle 50% of workers earn $47,580$60,560

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in Iowa

No machinist apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Iowa. 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 Iowa

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

Organization City County
Bowe Machine Co. Bettendorf
Bowe Machine Company Bettendorf Scott County
AMERICAN PATTERN & CNC WORKS Cedar Falls
Douglas Machine & Engineering Davenport
Jewell Machine & Fabrication Company, Inc. Davenport
Jewell Machine and Fabrication Co. Inc. Davenport
Uelner Precision Tools & Dies Dubuque Dubuque County
Iowa Mold Tooling Inc. Garner
Geater Machining & Manufacturing Co Independence Buchanan County
Mill Creek Machining Spencer
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

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

Machinist Apprenticeship in Iowa

Apprenticeship seekers in Iowa can contact any of 10 trade-specific sponsors our directory surfaces. Coverage is reasonable in urban centers, thinner in rural regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Machinists earn in Iowa?
The median annual wage for Machinists in Iowa is $53,400 as of May 2024. Wages range from $42,280 at the 10th percentile to $68,930 at the 90th percentile.
How long is a Machinist apprenticeship?
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?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Machinists, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
Where can I apply for a Machinist apprenticeship in Iowa?
Our directory surfaces 10 Machinist-related registered sponsors in Iowa. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
How much do Machinist apprentices earn?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $26,700/yr in Iowa). Wages increase at regular intervals — usually every 6 months — as you progress through the 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 Precision Metal Working programs in Iowa →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Iowa

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