Side-by-side distribution
CNC Operator
$74,880
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 33.1%
- Live roles
- 145
Manufacturing Engineer
$147,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 53.7%
- Live roles
- 925
Highest-paying jobs
CNC Operator
CNC Programmer & Machinist (3- Axis & 5-Axis Okuma)
Senior CNC Programmer & Machinist, 5-Axis
CNC Machine Programmer
CNC Machinist
Senior CNC Machinist
Senior Composite CNC Programmer
CNC Programmer (Mill, Lathe & Swiss)
CNC Programmer, NX CAM (Starlink) - Level 4/5
CNC Programmer (Starship Components) - Level 4/5 (2nd Shift)
Highest-paying jobs
Research Engineer, Production Model Post-Training
Software Engineer, Production Engineering
Principal Production Engineer
Software Engineer, Production Engineering
Sr. Staff Production Engineer - Data Platform
Staff Site Reliability Engineer, Production Engineering
Manufacturing Software Test Engineer
Principal Software Engineer, Manufacturing Systems
Manufacturing Design Engineer (NPI & Robotics)
Software Engineer, Manufacturing Test Systems
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
SpaceX
|
$54,080 | 13 |
|
Rennscot MFG
|
$84,240 | 3 |
|
Mach Industries
|
$74,880 | 3 |
Thorlabs
|
$68,640 | 3 |
Qualdoc
|
$56,160 | 3 |
|
Inversion
|
$108,160 | 2 |
|
General Matter
|
$93,600 | 2 |
Burnout Brands
|
$79,040 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 130 |
Relativity Space
|
$144,500 | 33 |
Archer
|
$171,100 | 15 |
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$133,750 | 10 |
mthree Recruiting Portal
|
$55,750 | 10 |
Hadrian Automation
|
$152,500 | 9 |
|
SpaceX
|
$108,750 | 9 |
Fluidstack
|
$217,500 | 8 |
CNC Operator salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $83,200 | 5 |
Manufacturing Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $217,500 | 13 |
| Austin | $217,500 | 11 |
| San Francisco | $190,500 | 31 |
| New York | $187,500 | 22 |
| Chicago | $175,000 | 7 |
| Boston | $172,500 | 8 |
| Atlanta | $146,500 | 7 |
| Los Angeles | $145,000 | 32 |
| Denver | $121,000 | 4 |
CNC Operator vs Manufacturing Engineer: which pays more?
The median for CNC Operator is $74,880 per year (typically $54,080–$90,220), versus $147,750 for Manufacturing Engineer ($120,000–$170,000). That puts Manufacturing Engineer about 97% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so CNC Operator and Manufacturing Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.