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CNC & machining programs in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has 15 accredited campuses awarding machinist credentials. If you finish and work as a machinist in Wisconsin, expect to start around $40,600–$48,430 and reach a median of $59,110 with experience; the top quarter earn $63,350 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Wisconsin). Graduates of these Wisconsin programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $37,963 in their first year, against $36,340 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.

What machinists earn in Wisconsin

$40,600starting (10th percentile)
$48,430early career (25th)
$59,110median, all experience
$63,350experienced (75th)
$76,280top earners (90th)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 12,700 employed in Wisconsin. National median: $58,750.

Campuses in Wisconsin, ranked by what their graduates earned

15campuses in Wisconsin
399credentials awarded / yr
$37,963median earnings, yr 1 (Wisconsin)
$36,340median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)

Cities: AppletonClevelandEau ClaireFennimoreFond du LacGreen BayKenoshaKeshenaLa CrosseMadisonMilwaukeePewaukeeRice LakeWausauWisconsin Rapids

CampusCityTypeGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Program debtCompletionCost / yr
Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire Public 19 $44,951 $9,250 50% not reported
Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Public 20 $41,875 not reported 44% not reported
Western Technical College La Crosse Public 5 $41,712 $5,916 34% not reported
Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Public 16 $41,595 $3,500 58% not reported
Northwood Technical College Rice Lake Public 39 $40,582 $5,500 56% not reported
Northcentral Technical College Wausau Public 20 $39,636 $3,500 45% not reported
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay Public 56 $38,595 $5,500 51% not reported
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore Public 8 $38,589 $4,000 66% not reported
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Public 20 $37,963 $8,713 25% not reported
Gateway Technical College Kenosha Public 107 $37,799 $9,500 51% not reported
Madison Area Technical College Madison Public 28 $37,511 $9,500 not reported not reported
Fox Valley Technical College Appleton Public 42 $37,105 $6,577 65% not reported
Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland Public 10 $35,729 not reported 50% not reported
Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids Public 8 $35,195 not reported 52% not reported
College of Menominee Nation Keshena non-profit 1 not reported not reported not reported not reported

Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.

Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.

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