CNC tool operator: where to study
Every U.S. school that awarded one of the 2 programs NCES links to this career in 2023-24, certificate to doctorate. A complete list, not a ranking.
NCES IPEDS
- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Find a school
Filter by state, program, award level and type of school. Each result links to the school's College Navigator profile (costs, admissions, graduation rates) and its own site.
Loading 227 schools…
Programs that lead to this career
The NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk links SOC 51-9161 to these programs. Awards in 2023-24, all levels, first majors. NCES
View source
| Program | CIP code | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Shop Technology/Assistant | 48.0503 | 1,634 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist | 48.0510 | 2,170 |
By award level: (awards, not schools).
Largest programs by awards
Size tells you where many students study, not which program is best for you.
| School | Location | Type | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Tech Community College | Indianapolis, IN | 2-year · Public | 222 |
| Owensboro Community and Technical College | Owensboro, KY | 2-year · Public | 113 |
| Connecticut State Community College | New Britain, CT | 2-year · Public | 111 |
| Gateway Technical College | Kenosha, WI | 2-year · Public | 94 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | Chicago, IL | 2-year · Public | 90 |
| Gateway Community and Technical College | Florence, KY | 2-year · Public | 89 |
| Hennepin Technical College | Brooklyn Park, MN | 2-year · Public | 70 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Elizabethtown, KY | 2-year · Public | 60 |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI | 2-year · Public | 60 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago, IL | 2-year · Public | 58 |
Schools in each state
How many schools in each state awarded one of these programs in 2023-24. Each state page lists all of its schools with cost and completion.
- Alabama4 schools
- Arizona3 schools
- Arkansas7 schools
- California2 schools
- Colorado7 schools
- Connecticut2 schools
- Delaware1 school
- Florida14 schools
- Georgia14 schools
- Idaho2 schools
- Illinois12 schools
- Indiana2 schools
- Iowa5 schools
- Kentucky13 schools
- Maine1 school
- Maryland1 school
- Massachusetts4 schools
- Michigan8 schools
- Minnesota10 schools
- Missouri2 schools
- Montana3 schools
- Nebraska1 school
- Nevada3 schools
- New Hampshire2 schools
- New Jersey1 school
- New York4 schools
- North Carolina34 schools
- Ohio8 schools
- Oklahoma11 schools
- Oregon4 schools
- Pennsylvania5 schools
- Rhode Island1 school
- South Carolina5 schools
- Tennessee4 schools
- Texas5 schools
- Utah3 schools
- Washington6 schools
- West Virginia2 schools
- Wisconsin11 schools
Registered Apprenticeship
A Registered Apprenticeship Program is a model of apprenticeship validated by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency Linked from apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-occupations. Term lengths are hours of on-the-job learning; time-based programs list one figure, hybrid programs a range.USDOL
View sourceUSDOL
| Apprenticeship occupation (DOL title) | RAPIDS code | O*NET occupation | Term (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Metals Tech (Machinist/CNC/Welder) | 1068 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (51-9161.00) | Time-Based 2000 Hybrid 2000–2500 Competency-Based 2000 |
| Numerical Control Machnist Oper | 0845 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (51-9161.00) | Time-Based 4000 Competency-Based 4000 Hybrid 4000–5000 |
| STENCIL CUTTER | 0463 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (51-9161.00) | Time-Based 4000 |
Search open apprenticeship jobs on Apprenticeship.gov · What a Registered Apprenticeship is
About this list
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- IPEDS Completions, 2023-24 (complete data file C2024_A) · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-21
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-21
- College Scorecard data, Most Recent Institution-Level file (release of 15 Oct 2026) · U.S. Department of Education checked 2026-10-21
- Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020, code file · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-21
- Approved occupations for Registered Apprenticeship (spreadsheet: RAPIDS code, type, minimum term) · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship (Apprenticeship.gov) checked 2026-10-21
- College Navigator · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-07