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Skilled Trades

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Construct, assemble, or rebuild machines, such as engines, turbines, and similar equipment used in such industries as construction, extraction, textiles, and paper manufacturing.

Median salary (BLS)

$53,710

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$39k – $78k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Engine and Other Machine Assemblers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

    Entry / Junior

    $38,500

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

    Established

    $53,710

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

    Senior

    $65,730

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Read and interpret assembly blueprints or specifications manuals, and plan assembly or building operations.
  • •Inspect, operate, and test completed products to verify functioning, machine capabilities, or conformance to customer specifications.
  • •Position or align components for assembly, manually or using hoists.
  • •Set and verify parts clearances.
  • •Verify conformance of parts to stock lists or blueprints, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauges, or micrometers.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.