It’s Also Programming. Why Do Some People Earn 8k Per Month By Learning MasterCAM, While Others Earn 15k Per Month By Learning UG?

It’s also programming. Why do some people earn 8k per month by learning MasterCAM, while others earn 15k per month by learning UG?

UG is not a universal five-axis machining technical talent. There is a shortage of five-axis machining technical talent , but high-end mold factories cannot do without it.

In the CNC circle, the debate between UG and UG has never stopped. When many people first enter this industry, they will struggle with a question, that is: Should I learn UG or learn something else? In fact, the key to this problem is not the software itself, but what kind of factory you want to enter and what kind of salary you want to get. More than 70% of small and medium-sized CNC machining factories on the market are using it to make ordinary three-axis and mass-produced products. This type of job is relatively stable, with a monthly salary of between 7,000 and 9,000 yuan. The job is relatively easy to find, and it is quick to get started. However, the room for promotion is limited. The positions that UG corresponds to are almost all in high-end industries such as mold factories, large precision factories, auto parts, aerospace and medical equipment. What they have in common is that the technical threshold is high, talents are scarce, and the salary ceiling is significantly higher.

In 2025, the number of domestic five-axis machine tools will exceed 80,000 units. However, the gap in skilled five-axis programming and operating talents is as high as 40,000. Many companies offer monthly salaries of 15,000 to 25,000 yuan, but they still cannot recruit suitable people. This is not a problem with the software itself, but rather with the high-end processing scenarios that UG corresponds to, which require talents far beyond simple tool path output.

Stable employment in UG is also programming. Why do some people earn 8k per month by learning MasterCAM, while others earn 15k per month by learning UG? , the last word is that the base is large.

In areas such as Chang'an Town, Dongguan, Yuyao, Zhejiang, and Kunshan, Jiangsu, where CNC processing is concentrated, a large number of product programming positions are posted every day, and 70% of the recruitment requirements require proficiency in programming. These positions mainly correspond to ordinary three-axis, batch hardware, non-standard small parts, and general accessories. The work content is relatively standardized and does not require complex modeling. As long as you can read pictures, set parameters, and draw tool paths, you can work independently on the machine. For those who want to change careers, or novices with zero foundation, the cycle of learning UG programs is about 3 to 5 months, and the job is fast. The stable monthly salary is between 7,000 and 9,000 yuan. After two years of experience, it can exceed 10,000 yuan.

Positions that fall into this category have the advantage that the scope of employment is extremely wide, there is no need to worry about not being able to find a job, and the probability of fault tolerance is high, and the programming efficiency is fast, which is suitable for people who pursue stability. However, the shortcomings are also quite significant. The technical threshold is low, resulting in a large number of people engaged in related work and fierce competition. The salary limit for pure product programming is about 13,000 yuan, making it difficult to achieve further breakthroughs. If you are older, want to change careers quickly, and pursue stable income, UG is undoubtedly the best choice to enter this field.

UG has high threshold and high ceiling, and five-axis talents have become scarce resources.

The positions corresponding to UG are at another level entirely. In the mold cluster in Taizhou, Zhejiang, in the precision electronics factory in Shenzhen, Guangdong, and in the aerospace supporting companies in Xi'an, Shaanxi, UG software is standard. These positions focus on complex molds, curved special-shaped parts, and precision inserts. In addition, five-axis linkage processing has a very high technical threshold. Learning UG is not just about programming, you also need to be able to model, edit pictures, remove electrodes, optimize complex tool paths, and debug exclusive post-processing. Its comprehensive ability requirements are far beyond others.

As far as five-axis machining is concerned, in 2025, the average monthly salary of domestic five-axis programming engineers has reached 16,000 yuan, and the annual salary of senior engineers has easily exceeded 250,000 yuan. Why is this so? It turns out that five-axis machine tools are very expensive, costing 2 million to 5 million yuan each. Enterprises do not dare to hand over equipment to people who are not skilled in operation, so the requirements for talents are particularly high. However, precisely because of scarcity, people who master UG and five-axis technology have strong bargaining power in the job market. The disadvantage is that the learning cycle is relatively long. It usually takes 8 months to a year and a half to become proficient. It is difficult to learn quickly in a short period of time. If you are not good at learning, it is difficult to find a high-paying and relevant position.

Skilled in low-end positions, irreplaceable in high-end positions

For the CNC industry, its core logic has never changed, that is, for low-end positions, the competition is proficiency and efficiency; for high-end positions, the competition is irreplaceability. If you are involved in product programming work, there is a relatively fixed shortage of five-axis machining technical talents in the work content. As long as the speed is relatively fast, there are fewer errors, and the output can be stable, you can earn a good income. However, this type of position is highly replaceable. A skilled machine operator can take over after three months of study, and it is extremely easy for companies to find replacement candidates.

As for UG mold positions and five-axis programming positions, since they involve complex surface strategies, multi-axis linkage tool axis control, and include anti-collision calculations and post-processing customization, the tool path plan for each project is different. An excellent UG programming engineer often needs more than three years of practical experience to be able to independently deal with various complex problems. This kind of experience accumulation itself is a barrier, and it is difficult for companies to find replacements in a short period of time. So you can see that for the same programming position, even if the upper limit is reached for product programming, it is only 13,000 to 15,000 yuan, while the starting price for mold and five-axis programming is 12,000 yuan, and the upper limit can reach more than 20,000 yuan.

Different age groups have different salary progression routes

If you are older, in your 30s or even 40s, and want to change careers or transition quickly, and pursue stable employment, then delve into UG in depth, master batch process optimization, efficiency improvement, and common problem handling thoroughly, and sit in the position of team leader in a small and medium-sized CNC factory. You can earn a monthly salary of 10,000 to 12,000 yuan without any problem, and the work pressure is relatively low, and there is no need to change factories frequently.

If you are young and have just entered the industry in your early twenties, if you want to conduct long-term and in-depth research in the CNC industry and sprint towards the goal of obtaining a high salary, you can first learn UG as a basis to solve employment problems. After accumulating experience for about a year, you can then study UG molds and five-axis technology. In this way, you will not be delayed in finding a job due to the long period of learning UG, but you can also rely on the practical experience gained from working in UG to lay a solid foundation for subsequent learning. Many five-axis engineers who currently receive an annual salary of more than 200,000 have developed through this route.

Choosing the right track will make you more valuable

Those who have been engaged in mold making, precision parts production, and auto parts manufacturing for a long time can just focus on UG without having to worry about it. These industries are extremely dependent on UG, and the talent shortage continues to expand. In 2026, the number of domestic five-axis machine tools is expected to exceed 100,000 units. However, the growth of qualified five-axis programming talents is extremely lagging, and the contradiction between supply and demand will only become more prominent. For those who already have a certain CNC foundation, it is the most appropriate time to turn to UG and five-axis direction for transformation.

There is no higher or lower level in the software itself, but the industry and position it is suitable for determine the maximum value of your salary. UG is suitable for a wider scope of employment, and UG is suitable for higher technical obstacles and salary ceilings. Choose the right software, carefully study the corresponding development aspects, and continue to accumulate experience and experience. Only then will your "identity value" increase over time. Finally, ask: Are you running UG or something else? Is your monthly salary limited due to the choice of software? You are welcome to talk about your industry status and salary level in the comment area. If you think the article is valuable, please like it and forward it to your colleagues and friends.