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Use your education as a starting point in your journey. Choose a type of education and search for a program to see which occupations best match your education. Click the add education button if you want to include additional education types.

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Use your current job or any occupation you desire as the starting point in your career journey. Type in an occupation name to learn what is next in line on your career journey.

By Goal Career

This tool can help you understand a potential pathway to a goal career. First start with your goal career. Next, add a starting education or occupation. Now start building. You'll then be presented below with jobs that have similar job skills or job duties to your dream job but typically pay less.

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Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

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Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$40,050

($19.26/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

0.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Choose your next step from the list below.

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Star
Rating

Education
Requirement

Median
Annual Wage

Annual
Growth Rate

Avg. Annual
Openings

Industrial Machinery Mechanics

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$56,260

($27.05/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

2.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,810

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$53,720

($25.83/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

690

Earth Drillers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$46,820

($22.51/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Machinery Maintenance Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$49,980

($24.03/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

417

Machinists

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$46,360

($22.29/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,441

Millwrights

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$49,600

($23.85/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

Etchers and Engravers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$47,860

($23.01/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$46,350

($22.28/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

256

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$47,200

($22.69/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,763

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$48,550

($23.34/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$47,220

($22.70/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,910

Helpers- Extraction Workers

Star Rating:

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$44,720

($21.50/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,220

($23.18/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

Carpenters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$44,980

($21.63/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

2,339

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$46,000

($22.12/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

148

Sheet Metal Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$46,860

($22.53/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

400

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$66,910

($32.17/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$61,580

($29.61/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

156

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$45,780

($22.01/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

497

Boilermakers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$65,720

($31.60/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Metal and Plastic Model Makers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,030

($23.09/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Metal Pourers and Casters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$44,220

($21.26/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$51,940

($24.97/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-1.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,180

($23.16/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-1.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$50,590

($24.32/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

None or Negative Growth

-1.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Median Annual Wage
Education
Experience Needed
Description

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

$40,050($19.26/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.

Industrial Machinery Mechanics

$56,260 ($27.05/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics

$53,720 ($25.83/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.

Earth Drillers

$46,820 ($22.51/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

Less than 5 years

Earth Drillers operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction.

Machinery Maintenance Workers

$49,980 ($24.03/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Machinists

$46,360 ($22.29/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Machinists set up and operate a variety of computer-controlled and mechanically controlled equipment to produce precision metal parts, instruments, and tools.

Millwrights

$49,600 ($23.85/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Etchers and Engravers

$47,860 ($23.01/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Etchers and Engravers etch or engrave metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. This category includes workers such as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

$46,350 ($22.28/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Brickmasons and Blockmasons (or, simply, masons) use bricks and concrete blocks to build fences, walkways, walls, and other structures.

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

$47,200 ($22.69/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

$48,550 ($23.34/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Continuous Mining Machine Operators use self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks, in a continuous operation.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

$47,220 ($22.70/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems.

Helpers- Extraction Workers

$44,720 ($21.50/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Extraction Workers Helpers support extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Their duties include supplying equipment and cleaning their work area.

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

$48,220 ($23.18/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

Less than 5 years

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers fix, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.

Carpenters

$44,980 ($21.63/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials.

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

$46,000 ($22.12/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers design, construct, adjust, repair, appraise and sell jewelry.

Sheet Metal Workers

$46,860 ($22.53/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Sheet Metal Workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets, such as ducts used in heating and air conditioning systems.

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

$66,910 ($32.17/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Rail-track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators install, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines.

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers

$61,580 ($29.61/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Control and valve installers and repairers install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators

$45,780 ($22.01/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators operate computer-controlled tools, machines, or robots to machine or process parts, tools, or other work pieces made of metal, plastic, wood, stone, or other materials. May also set up and maintain equipment.

Boilermakers

$65,720 ($31.60/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels or containers that hold liquids and gases.

Metal and Plastic Model Makers

$48,030 ($23.09/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Model Makers are metal and plastic machine workers who set up and operate machines to make working models of metal or plastic objects.

Metal Pourers and Casters

$44,220 ($21.26/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal Pourers and Casters are metal and plastic machine workers who operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers

$51,940 ($24.97/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers wind wire coils used in electrical components, such as resistors and transformers, and in electrical equipment and instruments like field cores, bobbins, electrical motors, generators, and control equipment.

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

$48,180 ($23.16/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems assemblers fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles.

Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$50,590 ($24.32/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

First Step

Find out what's next in line on your career journey, or find our where to start your new journey.

This tool can help you understand a potential pathway to a goal career. The circle at the top right represents your goal job. The circles on the left are jobs that have similar job skills or job duties to your dream job but typically pay less. They may also require lower educational attainment or skills.