Machinists Salary
The median pay for a machinists in Maine is $59,160/year ($28.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $60,553 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 33.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in Maine?
About machinists
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What this looks like in Maine
Machinists pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,281/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level machinists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $65K | +10% | 1,100 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $59K | -0% | 90 |
| Bangor | $54K | -9% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a machinist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 32.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for machinists in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machinists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,746/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for machinists?
Maine pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machinists make in Maine?
The median is $59,160 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,760, and experienced machinists can clear $78,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,900/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 32.8% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $60,553 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.
