Machinist Apprenticeship in Tennessee

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.

TN Median Salary
$48,610/yr
-13% vs. national
National Median
$56,150/yr
TN Employment
7,730
Machinists employed
TN Sponsors
3
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 Tennessee: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered machinist apprenticeship in Tennessee 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.

Tennessee pay vs. national

Median machinist wages in Tennessee are $48,610/year, -13% below the national median of $56,150. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Tennessee has 3 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 — Tennessee-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Tennessee Wage Spread

Annual wages for Machinists in Tennessee across all experience levels.

10th pct
$36,050
Median
$48,610
90th pct
$67,780
Middle 50% of workers earn $40,970$60,760

Current Machinist Apprenticeship Openings in Tennessee

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

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

Organization City County
Feintool Tennessee Antioch Davidson County
DIENAMIC TOOLING SYSTEM INC Lenoir City Roane County
HAMILTON MACHINE COMPANY Nashville Davidson County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Machinist openings

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

Machinist Apprenticeship in Tennessee

With 3 trade-specific sponsors in our directory, Tennessee's Machinist apprenticeship landscape is limited. Candidates should also consider nearby states or contact national union offices for referrals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Machinist salary in Tennessee?
Machinists in Tennessee earn a median salary of $48,610/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is below the national median of $56,150 for the trade.
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.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Machinists?
An apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn over 4 years with no tuition cost. Trade school is faster (6–24 months) but costs money upfront. Both can lead to the same journeyman credential.
Where can I apply for a Machinist apprenticeship in Tennessee?
Contact one of the 3 Machinist-adjacent registered sponsors in Tennessee (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 Tennessee, a first-year Machinist apprentice might earn around $24,305/yr (roughly half the $48,610 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 Precision Metal Working programs in Tennessee →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Machinist in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Tennessee

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