Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

Median salary

$53,710

Average salary

$57,790

Employment

34,000

Projected growth

21.1% decline

Annual openings

2,800

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Do

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

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Mechanicalimportance 3.9/5
Production and Processingimportance 3.4/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.2/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.0/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.9/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.9/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.9/5
Designimportance 2.8/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.5/5
Time Pressure4.3/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators95% skill match
Signal and Track Switch Repairers94% skill match
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists94% skill match
Agricultural Equipment Operators94% skill match
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders94% skill match
Print Binding and Finishing Workers94% skill match
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders94% skill match
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators94% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.4/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
Operation and Controlimportance 2.9/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.9/5
Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
Repairingimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Computer aided design and drafting CADD software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Achievement Orientation
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
ArtisticLow
EnterprisingLow
SocialLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where engine and other machine assemblers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).