Machinists Salary
The median pay for a machinists in Georgia is $52,610/year ($25.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $57,253 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 41.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Georgia?
About machinists
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What this looks like in Georgia
Machinists pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 41.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level machinists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists salary by metro in Georgia
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Robins | $68K | +29% | 110 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $67K | +28% | 370 |
| Rome | $62K | +18% | 90 |
| Albany | $61K | +16% | 60 |
| Savannah | $61K | +15% | 330 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $56K | +7% | 2,500 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $56K | +6% | 120 |
| Gainesville | $56K | +6% | 210 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $52K | -2% | 40 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $50K | -4% | 120 |
| Valdosta | $49K | -7% | 50 |
| Dalton | $48K | -8% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a machinist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 41.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for machinists in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machinists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,224/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is machinist a high-paying job in Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for machinists?
Georgia pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do machinists make in Georgia?
The median is $52,610 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,060, and experienced machinists can clear $77,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,489/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 41.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a machinists salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median machinists salary is worth about $57,253 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do machinists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.