Engine Machinist

Types of Degrees Engine Machinist Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many engine machinist graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	71
Undergraduate Certificate	64
Associate’s Degree	18

What Engine Machinist Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to engine machinist and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Engine Machinist Majors

Engine Machinist majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills for Engine Machinist Majors

A major in engine machinist prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Engine Machinist Majors

As a engine machinist major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Engine Machinist?

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of engine machinist majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	1
White	16
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

How Much Do Engine Machinist Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to engine machinist is $45,330. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Engine Machinist

Some degrees associated with engine machinist may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for engine machinist careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	11.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	65.4%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	13.2%
Some College Courses	4.8%
Master’s Degree	7.4%

Online Engine Machinist Programs

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 5 schools offered some type of engine machinist program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	2	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	3	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	2	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	2	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Engine Machinist Worth It?

The median salary for a engine machinist grad is $45,330 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 14% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $108,600 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Engine Machinist

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to engine machinist.

Major	Number of Grads
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician	35,892
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician	9,513
Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	6,035
Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician	5,142
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician	2,635
Medium/Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology/Technician	2,541
Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair Technology/Technician	1,126
Marine Maintenance/Fitter & Ship Repair Technology/Technician	664
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	570
General Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	512
High Performance & Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	465
Other Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies	331
Small Engine Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician	298
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	114
Vehicle Emissions Inspection & Maintenance Technology/Technician	7

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.