Production · Career brief

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$68,120

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

5.9%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

2,700

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Certificate / award

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Structured / detail

Accuracy, process, and organized information matter

Determine the sequence of machine operations, and select the proper cutting tools needed to machine workpieces into the desired shapes.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is growth; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if structured, detail-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a certificate or nondegree award. Main tradeoff: Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

Before choosing, compare:Prepress Technicians and Workers Machinists Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers with another field Explore rankings in Production Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$68,120

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

5.9%employment growth2,700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

28,600

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Computer numerically controlled tool programmers (51-9162).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Determine the sequence of machine operations, and select the proper cutting tools needed to machine workpieces into the desired shapes.
Analyze job orders, drawings, blueprints, specifications, printed circuit board pattern films, and design data to calculate dimensions, tool selection, machine speeds, and feed rates.
Observe machines on trial runs or conduct computer simulations to ensure that programs and machinery will function properly and produce items that meet specifications.
Write programs in the language of a machine's controller and store programs on media, such as punch tapes, magnetic tapes, or disks.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.
Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Working with Computers4.8
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
Getting Information4.0
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.0
Controlling Machines and Processes4.0

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Conventional5.9
Realistic4.9
Investigative3.6
Enterprising1.7
Artistic1.5
Social1.5

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Production and Processing Engineering and Technology Mathematics Design

Software and tools named in job postings

Autodesk AutoCAD Dassault Systemes SolidWorks G-code Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software Autodesk Fusion 360

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Take a supervised shop, maker, or trade class and finish one project while following its measurement, cleanup, and safety rules.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Computer numerically controlled tool programmers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Monitoring, Mathematics, Active Listening among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks, G-code; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options