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Machine Shop Assistant

Types of Degrees Machine Shop Assistant Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Machine Shop Assistant can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	314
Associate’s Degree	126
Master’s Degree	1,071

What Machine Shop Assistant Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Machine Shop Assistant develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Machine Shop Assistant graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Machine Shop Assistant emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Machine Shop Assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Machine Shop Assistant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Machine Shop Assistant graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.1 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.5 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Machine Shop Assistant professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Hexagon Metrology PC-DMIS	Procedure management software	—
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC	Industrial control software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Machine Shop Assistant graduates include:

• Fixture Maker
• Development Mechanic
• Tool Dresser
• Layout Man
• Ship Fitter
• Trimmer
• Job Setter
• CNC Machinist (Computer Numerical Control Machinist)
• CNC Machinist (Computer Numerically Controlled Machinist)
• Pusher
• Machine Operator
• Machine Set Up Operator
• CNC Mill Machinist (Computer Numeric Controlled Mill Machinist)
• Manual Machinist
• Precision Machinist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Machine Shop Assistant graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	59.2%
Postsecondary certificate	17.8%
Less than a high school diploma	11.3%
Some college courses	8.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.1%
Bachelor’s degree	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Machine Shop Assistant?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 92% of Machine Shop Assistant degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	130	8.0%
Men	1,504	92.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Machine Shop Assistant graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,283	78.5%
Asian	29	1.8%
Hispanic or Latino	109	6.7%
Black or African American	77	4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	29	1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	47	2.9%
Race Unknown	49	3.0%
International Students	9	0.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Machine Shop Assistant Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Machine Shop Assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,800
4 years	$39,416
5 years	$44,203

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,203 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Machine Shop Assistant Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Machine Shop Assistant graduates earn a median of $39,416 four years after completion — roughly 4% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Precision Metal Working	48.05
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	48.0510
Ironworking/Ironworker	48.0509
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	48.0501
Metal Fabricator	48.0511
Precision Metal Working, Other	48.0599
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	48.0506
Tool and Die Technology/Technician	48.0507
Welding Technology/Welder	48.0508

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.