Manufacturing career directory
CNC Lathe Setup Machinist
CNC Lathe Setup Machinist: prepare machining workholding and cutting tools, establish offsets, prove out processes, and inspect precision parts. Specific duties vary by employer and equipment.
This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.
What the worker does
- Prepare machining workholding and cutting tools, establish offsets, prove out processes, and inspect precision parts.
- Follow the applicable machine guarding, PPE, energy-isolation, and material-handling procedures for assigned work.
- Document work and quality checks; report unsafe conditions, equipment problems, or nonconforming product.
Skills, machines and equipment
- Blueprint reading
- GD&T
- Workholding
- Tool offsets
- Precision measurement
Education and training
Education varies by employer. Technical-school courses, supervised on-the-job learning, or relevant experience may be useful; the education filter is general editorial guidance, not a mandatory credential.
For CNC Lathe Setup Machinist, compare actual job requirements, develop blueprint reading, gd&t, workholding, and seek supervised practical experience. Compare relevant technical courses and employer-provided training; requirements vary by workplace.
Apprenticeships
Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.
Salary reference
47,570–67,700 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-4041.
Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.
Career advancement
- Deepen process knowledge and troubleshooting skills; explore senior specialist, setup, programming, or technical-support work where relevant.
- Develop mentoring and team-lead skills if leadership interests you. Additional training and demonstrated competence may be required.
How Do I Get This Job?
- Review the skills and responsibilities above.
- Education varies by employer. Technical-school courses, supervised on-the-job learning, or relevant experience may be useful; the education filter is general editorial guidance, not a mandatory credential.
- For CNC Lathe Setup Machinist, compare actual job requirements, develop blueprint reading, gd&t, workholding, and seek supervised practical experience. Compare relevant technical courses and employer-provided training; requirements vary by workplace.
- Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.
View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.
Related career information
Sources and limitations
ShopFloor editorial manufacturing job title. Supporting O*NET reference: Machinists (51-4041.00). This is a specialty or workplace role, not a separately verified O*NET occupation. The mapping describes related work; employers determine actual duties and requirements. Skills, training suggestions, and advancement guidance are ShopFloor editorial content, not O*NET findings or guaranteed qualifications. Any displayed wage range is the national BLS occupational-group reference, across industries, not a specialty-specific, local, starting, or guaranteed wage. O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.