# Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators

US SOC code 51-9161. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/51-9161

Also called: CNC operator, CNC machine operator, CNC machinist, CNC lathe operator, CNC mill operator.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **169,450** US computer numerically controlled tool operators, with median pay of **$50,690** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **187,670**, in May 2023. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_control) of **1,000** from 1958, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for computer numerically controlled tool operators: Adaptive control + IIoT machine monitoring, 2015 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 9.4% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-9161&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **18%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1958
- Latest US employment: 169,450 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $50,690 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: -9.4% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [14]

### All 10 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1958 | 1,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., History of numerical control [1] |
| 1975 | 25,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., History of numerical control [1] |
| 2000 | 145,000 (estimate) | $28,500 (estimate) | Est., BLS OOH [2] |
| 2019 | 151,700 | $41,200 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 149,120 | $42,260 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 157,840 | $46,640 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 179,360 | $46,760 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 187,670 | $48,550 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 176,950 | $49,970 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 169,450 | $50,690 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (40)

### Employment series

1. [History of numerical control — Milwaukee-Matic (1958), first commercial NC machining center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_control), Wikipedia
2. [BLS OOH — Metal and Plastic Machine Workers (occupation overview and CNC context)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [BLS OOH — Metal and Plastic Machine Workers (wage context for CNC operators)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

6. [History of numerical control — MIT 1952 demonstration and early NC machine operation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_control), Wikipedia
7. [Computer Pioneers — John T. Parsons (origin of numerical control)](https://history.computer.org/pioneers/parsons.html), IEEE Computer Society
8. [CNC Machining History: Complete Timeline (microprocessor CNC era)](https://www.3erp.com/blog/cnc-machining-history/), 3ERP
9. [Renishaw — machine tool probing systems (on-machine measurement and automatic offset setting)](https://www.renishaw.com/en/machine-tool-probing-systems--6670), Renishaw
10. [Caron Engineering — TMAC tool monitoring adaptive control](https://www.caroneng.com/products/tmac/), Caron Engineering
11. [FANUC — FIELD System (edge IIoT machine analytics)](https://www.fanuc.eu/eu-en), FANUC
12. [CloudNC — CAM Assist used by 1,000+ machine shops to generate CNC toolpaths with AI](https://www.cloudnc.com/news-room/cam-assist-now-used-by-over-1-000-machine-shops-globally-to-accelerate-cnc-programming-with-ai), CloudNC
13. [Okuma — Lights-On or Lights-Off Shop Automation](https://www.okuma.com/blog/lights-on-or-lights-off-shop-automation-shines), Okuma

### Forecasts and exposure studies

14. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 51-9161 Computer numerically controlled tool operators (2025: 170.0 thousand; 2035: 154.1 thousand; -9.4%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-9161&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
15. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 51-9161.00, human-rated β 0.18)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

16. [History of numerical control — 1952 MIT NC milling machine demonstration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_control), Wikipedia
17. [CNC Machining History: Complete Timeline (microprocessor CNC transition)](https://www.3erp.com/blog/cnc-machining-history/), 3ERP
18. [O\*NET / SOC — 51-9161 lineage from the 2010 SOC code 51-4011](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-9161.00), O\*NET / BLS
19. [CloudNC — CAM Assist now used by 1,000+ machine shops globally](https://www.cloudnc.com/news-room/cam-assist-now-used-by-over-1-000-machine-shops-globally-to-accelerate-cnc-programming-with-ai), CloudNC

### Predecessors & successors

20. [History of numerical control — NC drawing skilled machinists onto controlled machines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_numerical_control), Wikipedia
21. [BLS OOH — Metal and Plastic Machine Workers (how to become one)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — CNC Tool Operators (51-9161.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-9161.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OOH — Metal and Plastic Machine Workers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [CNCCode.com — CNC Automation 2026 and Beyond](https://cnccode.com/2025/12/03/cnc-automation-2026-beyond-ai-driven-machine-shops-lights-out-production-and-smart-robotics-revolution/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [CloudNC — CAM Assist 2.0 release (September 2025)](https://www.cloudnc.com/news-room/cam-assist-now-used-by-over-1-000-machine-shops-globally-to-accelerate-cnc-programming-with-ai), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Caron Engineering — TMAC Tool Monitoring Adaptive Control](https://www.caroneng.com/products/tmac/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Siemens — Optimize MyMachining Adaptive Control](https://www.siemens.com/global/en/products/automation/systems/cnc-sinumerik/intelligent-feedrate-control.html), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.