SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Construct, assemble, or rebuild machines, such as engines, turbines, and similar equipment used in such industries as construction, extraction, textiles, and paper manufacturing.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-2031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $38,500 | $3,208 | $740 | $18.51 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,230 | $3,769 | $870 | $21.75 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $53,710 | $4,476 | $1,033 | $25.82 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $74,920 | $6,243 | $1,441 | $36.02 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $77,750 | $6,479 | $1,495 | $37.38 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers is $53,710, which is 5% higher. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 25 by median pay. With 34,000 jobs, it makes up about 2.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Ohio ($74,750), Washington ($72,800) and New Hampshire ($70,150). The lowest was in Virginia ($36,030), Georgia ($38,540) and Maryland ($39,120). The most jobs were in Michigan (5,030), Ohio (3,430) and North Carolina (2,750). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 5.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 3,430 | $74,750 | $68,470 | $35.94 |
| Washington | 370 | $72,800 | $77,500 | $35.00 |
| New Hampshire | 160 | $70,150 | $68,980 | $33.73 |
| Oregon | 110 | $63,420 | $65,560 | $30.49 |
| Connecticut | 170 | $61,320 | $64,370 | $29.48 |
| Michigan | 5,030 | $60,950 | $59,820 | $29.31 |
| Minnesota | 270 | $58,820 | $57,650 | $28.28 |
| Arkansas | 70 | $54,620 | $53,100 | $26.26 |
| Idaho | 70 | $54,240 | $56,840 | $26.08 |
| Wisconsin | 860 | $54,240 | $55,330 | $26.08 |
| Arizona | 80 | $54,100 | $54,460 | $26.01 |
| Florida | 800 | $52,660 | $53,340 | $25.32 |
| Pennsylvania | 90 | $52,000 | $52,030 | $25.00 |
| New Jersey | 140 | $50,910 | $59,720 | $24.47 |
| Illinois | 650 | $49,630 | $50,420 | $23.86 |
| Nebraska | 110 | $49,590 | $50,830 | $23.84 |
| Utah | 150 | $48,730 | $51,230 | $23.43 |
| Texas | 490 | $47,210 | $49,370 | $22.70 |
| South Carolina | 1,960 | $46,950 | $49,590 | $22.57 |
| Massachusetts | 500 | $46,880 | $53,840 | $22.54 |
| California | 1,170 | $46,810 | $53,010 | $22.51 |
| Tennessee | 430 | $46,810 | $52,030 | $22.50 |
| Missouri | 1,020 | $46,720 | $48,610 | $22.46 |
| Mississippi | 580 | $46,610 | $47,980 | $22.41 |
| New York | 1,330 | $46,460 | $51,310 | $22.34 |
| Colorado | not published | $46,070 | $50,500 | $22.15 |
| Iowa | 60 | $46,040 | $50,160 | $22.13 |
| South Dakota | 550 | $45,930 | $44,630 | $22.08 |
| North Carolina | 2,750 | $45,750 | $54,710 | $22.00 |
| Oklahoma | 130 | $45,060 | $48,790 | $21.67 |
| Kansas | not published | $42,590 | $46,280 | $20.48 |
| Kentucky | 1,180 | $41,580 | $43,460 | $19.99 |
| Maryland | 90 | $39,120 | $41,730 | $18.81 |
| Georgia | 410 | $38,540 | $45,970 | $18.53 |
| Virginia | 570 | $36,030 | $43,000 | $17.32 |
| Alabama | 2,520 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Model Makers, Wood$56,550 a year
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$54,430 a year
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750 a year
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800 a year
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$52,540 a year
- Pourers and Casters, Metal$51,810 a year
Common questions
How much do Engine and Other Machine Assemblers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $53,710 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,500 and the highest-paid 10% more than $77,750.
How many people work as Engine and Other Machine Assemblers?
About 34,000 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.