Side-by-side distribution
Machinist
$31.00/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 50.3%
- Live roles
- 877
Quality Control
$24.50/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 34.4%
- Live roles
- 346
Highest-paying jobs
CNC Machinist
CNC Machinist Trainer
Gear Machinist
CNC Machinist/Programmer
CNC Machinist
Senior CNC Programmer & Machinist, 5-Axis
Lead CNC Machinist (PM Shift)
CNC Mill-Turn Machinist
Senior Composite CNC Programmer/Machinist
Machinist 1st Shift
Highest-paying jobs
Quality Control Inspector - Systems
Quality Control Technician
Aircraft Mechanic II/Quality Control Inspector (UH-60) - CBA Barstow/Daggett
QC Highway/Bridge Inspector
Geomatics Quality Control Technician
Aircraft Quality Control Inspector - Customs and Border Protection
Aircraft Quality Control Inspector - Customs and Border Protection
Aircraft Quality Control Inspector
Quality Control Technician 3
Quality Control Laboratory Technician (Cordova, IL)*
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Moog
|
$62,400 | 36 |
| WO Woodward | $57,470 | 22 |
SpaceX
|
$54,470 | 22 |
Caterpillar
|
$66,321 | 20 |
Curtiss-Wright
|
$64,480 | 17 |
| GV GE Vernova | $69,991 | 16 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$70,300 | 14 |
Regal Rexnord
|
$58,240 | 14 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| VI Vishay | $52,000 | 7 |
Trexon
|
$45,240 | 6 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$68,500 | 5 |
Flex
|
$53,518 | 5 |
| LC LKQ Corporation | $47,840 | 5 |
|
Amentum
|
$99,892 | 4 |
| ME Medline | $47,060 | 4 |
Hydrafacial
|
$46,280 | 3 |
Machinist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $107,760 | 6 |
| Los Angeles | $78,000 | 5 |
| New York | $61,486 | 8 |
Quality Control salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $74,256 | 3 |
| New York | $52,130 | 4 |
Machinist vs Quality Control: which pays more?
The median for Machinist is $31.00/hr per year (typically $27.07/hr–$36.54/hr), versus $24.50/hr for Quality Control ($21.95/hr–$28.26/hr). That puts Machinist about 27% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Machinist and Quality Control 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.