Machinist Apprenticeship in Michigan

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.

MI Median Salary
$49,930/yr
-11% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
MI Employment
23,090
Machinists employed
MI Sponsors
79
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 Michigan: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in Michigan 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.

Michigan pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in Michigan are $49,930/year, -11% below the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Michigan has 79 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 — Michigan-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Michigan Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in Michigan across all experience levels.

10th pct
$37,730
Median
$49,930
90th pct
$74,510
Middle 50% of workers earn $44,440$62,140

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in Michigan

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

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

Organization City County
Midwest Die Corp Baroda Berrien County
Rocket Machining & Design Battle Creek Calhoun County
Belding Tool & Machine Belding Ionia County
DS Mold and Die Belding Ionia County
Trademark Die & Engineering Belmont Kent County
Maximum Mold Inc. Benton Harbor Berrien County
Integrity Fab & Machine, Inc. Breckenridge Gratiot County
D & F Mold LLC Bridgman Berrien County
Usher Tool & Die, Inc. Byron Center Kent County
Eclipse Mold Incorporated Chesterfield Macomb County
Three M Tool & Machine, Inc. Commerce Township Oakland County
Advanced Tooling Systems Group Comstock Park Kent County
GR Tooling & Automation Comstock Park
Ranger Die, Inc. Coopersville Ottawa County
Cole Machine Services Davison Genesee County
Williams Tooling & Manufacturing, Inc. Dorr Allegan County
GSE Machining & Fabrication Eaton Rapids Eaton County
ORT TOOL AND DIE COMPANY Erie Monroe County
R.D. Tool & Manufacturing Co. Erie Monroe County
ENGINEERED MACHINED PRODUCTS, INC. Escanaba Delta County
Northern Machining & Repair Inc. Escanaba
BIRDSALL TOOL LLC Farmington Oakland County
Eifel Mold & Engineering, LLC Fraser Macomb County
Transfer Tool Products Grand Haven Ottawa County
Autodie LLC and UAW Local 2304 Grand Rapids Kent County
+ 54 more sponsors in Michigan
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

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

Machinist Apprenticeship in Michigan

The Machinist apprenticeship infrastructure in Michigan is extensive: 79 sponsors identifiable in our directory. Union halls, contractors, and joint apprenticeship committees all accept applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Machinists earn in Michigan?
The median annual wage for Machinists in Michigan is $49,930 as of May 2024. Wages range from $37,730 at the 10th percentile to $74,510 at the 90th percentile.
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.
Should I do a Machinist apprenticeship or go to trade school?
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.
How do I find a Machinist apprenticeship in Michigan?
Our directory surfaces 79 Machinist-related registered sponsors in Michigan. 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.
Do Machinist apprentices get paid during training?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $24,965/yr in Michigan). 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 Michigan →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Michigan

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