Career fit quiz

Is CNC Machinist the Right Career for You?

A quick, free 8-question quiz to see how well the CNC machinist career fits your personality, preferences and goals.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
How this quiz works

Rate how much you agree with each statement. The quiz compares your answers with the realities of the CNC machinist job and gives you an honest fit score in under two minutes. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

Statement 1 of 8I enjoy precise, careful work
Statement 2 of 8I like math and measurements
Statement 3 of 8I’m comfortable around machines
Statement 4 of 8I can concentrate for long periods
Statement 5 of 8I like making physical products
Statement 6 of 8I’d like to learn programming over time
Statement 7 of 8I’m willing to spend about 6–24 months training for this career
Statement 8 of 8A typical salary around $58,750 a year would meet my needs

What this career really involves

CNC machinists set up and operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) mills, lathes and other machine tools to produce precision parts from metal and plastic, measuring their work to tight tolerances.

  • Read blueprints, GD&T and setup sheets
  • Set up CNC mills and lathes, including fixtures, tools and offsets
  • Load programs and run machines
  • Measure parts with precision instruments and adjust offsets
  • Perform first-article and in-process inspections

Read a full day in the life or see CNC machinist salary data.

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