Machinist Salary in Detroit, MI
Machinists in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $59,310 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,566 take-home, or $3,964 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,937
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,677
- Medicare (1.45%)$860
- Michigan income tax$2,270
- Take-home pay$47,566
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,423 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,142 ($3,845 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Machinist pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,650 | $18.58 | $31,843 | $2,654 |
| 25th percentile | $47,850 | $23.00 | $38,845 | $3,237 |
| Median (50th) | $59,310 | $28.51 | $47,566 | $3,964 |
| 75th percentile | $64,560 | $31.04 | $51,561 | $4,297 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,730 | $37.85 | $61,121 | $5,093 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,310 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median machinist's $47,566 take-home pay has the buying power of $47,424 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Detroit, MI has 2.2× the national concentration of machinist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #15 of 22 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $74,560 | $61,283 | $55,144 |
| 2 | St. Louis, MO | $62,210 | $50,179 | $52,771 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $61,280 | $51,418 | $52,133 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $72,060 | $56,141 | $51,855 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $58,240 | $48,157 | $51,272 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $62,900 | $49,918 | $50,967 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $64,320 | $51,892 | $50,505 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,320 | $48,774 | $50,315 |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $59,310 | $47,566 | $47,424 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 22 metros →
About the job: machinists
Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures. Machinists who primarily program or operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment are classified in "Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators and Programmers" (51-9160).
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Machinist salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $50,110
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in Detroit, MI?
The median machinist salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $59,310 a year, or about $28.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,850 and $64,560.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $59,310 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $47,566 a year ($3,964 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,270 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $47,424 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #15 of 22 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median machinist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,490
- Tool and Die Maker — $73,120
- Engine and Other Machine Assembler — $64,820
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $51,810
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $51,210
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $50,460
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $49,240
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $46,880
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $45,400
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $45,170
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $44,220
- Production Workers, All Other — $39,870