Machinist Apprenticeship in Pennsylvania

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.

PA Median Salary
$52,560/yr
-6% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
PA Employment
15,060
Machinists employed
PA Sponsors
65
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 Pennsylvania: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in Pennsylvania are $52,560/year, -6% below the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Pennsylvania has 65 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 — Pennsylvania-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Pennsylvania Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in Pennsylvania across all experience levels.

10th pct
$37,520
Median
$52,560
90th pct
$75,240
Middle 50% of workers earn $45,290$62,070

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in Pennsylvania

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

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

Organization City County
SUMMIT MACHINE COMPANY, INC. Alverton Westmoreland County
GUTIERREZ MACHINE Athens Bradford County
KENNAMETAL INC. Bedford Bedford County
VISION CUSTOM TOOLING INC Birdsboro Berks County
MCFADDEN MACHINE COMPANY, INC. Blairsville Indiana County
Chick Machine Co. Inc. Butler Butler County
Marwood Machine Co. Inc. Cabot Butler County
JENNISON PRECISION MACHINE INC. Carnegie Allegheny County
Vangura Tool Inc. Clairton Allegheny County
Bailey Machine Company Connellsville Fayette County
EPHRATA PRECISION PARTS INC Denver Lancaster County
ADVANCED CARBIDE GRINDING INC Derry Westmoreland County
Xpert Machining Inc. Derry Westmoreland County
MAGDIC PRECISION TOOLING INC. East Mckeesport Allegheny County
Ellwood City Forge Ellwood City
ASTRO MACHINE WORKS INC Ephrata Lancaster County
Custom Tool and Design Inc. Erie Erie County
EXECUTOOL PRECISION TOOLING Erie Erie County
MACHINING CONCEPTS INC Erie Erie County
MICRO MOLD COMPANY, INC. Erie Erie County
SIGMA TOOL, INC. Erie Erie County
X - CELL TOOL & MOLD, INC Erie Erie County
Matrix Tool Inc. Fairview Erie County
PHB, INC. - DIE CAST Fairview Erie County
X Cell Tool & Mold Inc Fairview Erie County
+ 40 more sponsors in Pennsylvania
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

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

Machinist Apprenticeship in Pennsylvania

The Machinist apprenticeship infrastructure in Pennsylvania is extensive: 65 sponsors identifiable in our directory. Union halls, contractors, and joint apprenticeship committees all accept applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Machinists make in Pennsylvania?
The median annual wage for Machinists in Pennsylvania is $52,560 as of May 2024. Wages range from $37,520 at the 10th percentile to $75,240 at the 90th percentile.
How long is a Machinist apprenticeship?
Most Machinist apprenticeships run 4 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
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 Pennsylvania?
Contact one of the 65 Machinist-adjacent registered sponsors in Pennsylvania (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?
Yes. Apprentices earn wages from day one, typically starting at 40–60% of the journeyman rate (roughly $26,280/yr in Pennsylvania). 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 Pennsylvania →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania

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