Machinist Apprenticeship in North Carolina

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.

NC Median Salary
$55,520/yr
-1% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
NC Employment
8,310
Machinists employed
NC Sponsors
18
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 North Carolina: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in North Carolina 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.

North Carolina pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in North Carolina are $55,520/year, -1% below the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

North Carolina has 18 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 — North Carolina-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

North Carolina Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in North Carolina across all experience levels.

10th pct
$36,970
Median
$55,520
90th pct
$72,770
Middle 50% of workers earn $45,640$61,850

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in North Carolina

No machinist apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for North Carolina. 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 North Carolina

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

Organization City County
Jaeco Precision Inc. Asheboro Randolph County
Jaeco Precision, Inc. Asheboro
P & S MACHINE Burlington
SUPERIOR TOOLING, INC. Cary
Pfaff Molds L.P. Charlotte
Triangle East Tooling & Machining Elm City
Daystar Machining Technologies, Inc. Fletcher
Progressive Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. Greensboro
A & M Tool, Inc. Horse Shoe
Western Carolina Tool & Mold Corporation Horse Shoe
Setzer Machine Company Lenoir
Northeast Tool & Manufacturing Matthews
Sandvik Machining Solutions Mebane
AMERITECH DIE AND MOLD, INC. Mooresville
Martin & Rush Machining, Inc./dba Phoenix Pre Trinity
Machine Specialties Inc. Whitsett
Omni Mold and Die Winston-Salem
Winterville Machine Works Winterville
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

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

Machinist Apprenticeship in North Carolina

Apprenticeship seekers in North Carolina can contact any of 18 trade-specific sponsors our directory surfaces. Coverage is reasonable in urban centers, thinner in rural regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Machinists earn in North Carolina?
The median annual wage for Machinists in North Carolina is $55,520 as of May 2024. Wages range from $36,970 at the 10th percentile to $72,770 at the 90th percentile.
What is the length of a Machinist apprenticeship program?
The standard Machinist apprenticeship is 4 years of combined on-the-job training and classroom education. Some programs offer accelerated paths for candidates with prior experience.
What's the difference between a Machinist apprenticeship and trade school?
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.
How do I find a Machinist apprenticeship in North Carolina?
Our directory surfaces 18 Machinist-related registered sponsors in North Carolina. 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 $27,760/yr in North Carolina). 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 North Carolina →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in North Carolina

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