Side-by-side distribution
Machinist
$31.25/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 47.1%
- Live roles
- 961
Process Engineer
$118,775
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 29.3%
- Live roles
- 2,573
Highest-paying jobs
CNC Machinist (1st Shift)
Gear Machinist
CNC Machinist/Programmer
CNC Machinist (Multiple Shifts)
CNC Mill-Turn Machinist
Lead CNC Machinist (PM Shift)
Machinist (CNC & Manual)
Milling Machinist 4 - (2nd Shift)
Milling Machine Machinist 4 - (2nd Shift)
Machinist 1st Shift
Highest-paying jobs
Forward Deployed Process Engineer Lead - R37
Director, Process Engineer – Dry Etch
Forward Deployed Process Engineer Lead - R37
Process Design Engineer - IT
Finance Transformation Process Engineer
MEMs Microfabrication Process Engineer (Metrology, Test, BEOL, or Bond)
Sr. Staff Engineer - Process & Equipment Design
Director, Process Engineer
Intel Foundry Process Development Engineer - Lithography
Senior / Principal Silicon Photonic Packaging & Process Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Moog
|
$62,400 | 31 |
Regal Rexnord
|
$60,320 | 21 |
| WO Woodward | $57,470 | 21 |
SpaceX
|
$54,080 | 19 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$66,650 | 17 |
Caterpillar
|
$66,498 | 17 |
| GV GE Vernova | $71,698 | 14 |
Curtiss-Wright
|
$62,400 | 13 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Applied Materials
|
$147,500 | 90 |
Samsung
|
$107,500 | 35 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$111,800 | 26 |
|
Intel
|
$167,330 | 13 |
Anduril Industries
|
$155,750 | 12 |
Abbott
|
$117,000 | 11 |
Blue Origin
|
$119,041 | 10 |
| GV GE Vernova | $114,100 | 10 |
Machinist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $98,186 | 6 |
| Los Angeles | $85,800 | 8 |
| New York | $62,972 | 9 |
Process Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $170,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $128,750 | 10 |
| New York | $124,675 | 20 |
| Seattle | $119,041 | 15 |
| Boston | $115,000 | 5 |
| Denver | $112,011 | 3 |
| Austin | $110,500 | 21 |
Machinist vs Process Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Machinist is $31.25/hr per year (typically $27.00/hr–$36.96/hr), versus $118,775 for Process Engineer ($96,050–$143,620). That puts Process Engineer about 83% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Machinist and Process 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.