SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9022.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $33,480 | $2,790 | $644 | $16.09 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $37,450 | $3,121 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $42,660 | $3,555 | $820 | $20.51 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $49,980 | $4,165 | $961 | $24.03 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $60,810 | $5,068 | $1,169 | $29.23 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand is $42,660, which is 16% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 78 by median pay. With 10,510 jobs, it makes up about 0.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand pay by state
The highest median pay was in Vermont ($56,850), Minnesota ($51,930) and Rhode Island ($51,630). The lowest was in New Mexico ($28,640), Louisiana ($33,160) and Tennessee ($33,830). The most jobs were in California (1,850), Texas (840) and Michigan (650). The occupation is most concentrated in Rhode Island, where its share of all jobs is 3.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 50 | $56,850 | $57,510 | $27.33 |
| Minnesota | 120 | $51,930 | $51,600 | $24.97 |
| Rhode Island | 130 | $51,630 | $50,550 | $24.82 |
| Montana | not published | $50,460 | $48,910 | $24.26 |
| Virginia | 330 | $48,830 | $51,130 | $23.48 |
| Connecticut | 230 | $48,670 | $52,260 | $23.40 |
| Kansas | 100 | $48,410 | $49,290 | $23.28 |
| Maryland | not published | $48,390 | $49,620 | $23.27 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $47,920 | $49,820 | $23.04 |
| New Jersey | 300 | $47,840 | $49,250 | $23.00 |
| Wisconsin | 290 | $47,790 | $47,090 | $22.98 |
| Delaware | 40 | $47,780 | $42,890 | $22.97 |
| Missouri | 180 | $47,360 | $51,350 | $22.77 |
| Washington | 90 | $47,290 | $48,100 | $22.74 |
| Iowa | not published | $47,280 | $47,430 | $22.73 |
| New York | 440 | $47,240 | $55,460 | $22.71 |
| South Carolina | 260 | $45,710 | $45,820 | $21.97 |
| Nevada | 90 | $45,310 | $48,680 | $21.79 |
| California | 1,850 | $44,450 | $46,650 | $21.37 |
| Michigan | 650 | $44,430 | $46,500 | $21.36 |
| Massachusetts | 170 | $42,700 | $45,450 | $20.53 |
| Oregon | 160 | $42,380 | $47,540 | $20.38 |
| Georgia | 220 | $40,660 | $44,670 | $19.55 |
| Colorado | 70 | $40,600 | $43,890 | $19.52 |
| Pennsylvania | 140 | $40,510 | $42,500 | $19.47 |
| Ohio | 490 | $40,310 | $43,410 | $19.38 |
| Mississippi | 30 | $40,280 | $38,310 | $19.37 |
| West Virginia | not published | $39,870 | $44,180 | $19.17 |
| Florida | 510 | $39,480 | $41,220 | $18.98 |
| Arkansas | 140 | $38,960 | $42,420 | $18.73 |
| Indiana | 620 | $38,810 | $41,400 | $18.66 |
| Oklahoma | 160 | $38,340 | $40,020 | $18.43 |
| Arizona | 560 | $38,280 | $43,920 | $18.40 |
| Texas | 840 | $38,170 | $38,620 | $18.35 |
| North Carolina | 330 | $37,600 | $40,440 | $18.08 |
| Illinois | 60 | $36,590 | $36,910 | $17.59 |
| Alabama | 150 | $35,620 | $35,530 | $17.12 |
| Tennessee | 80 | $33,830 | $34,680 | $16.26 |
| Louisiana | 90 | $33,160 | $33,930 | $15.94 |
| New Mexico | 120 | $28,640 | $32,200 | $13.77 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Etchers and Engravers$43,310 a year
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220 a year
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$42,770 a year
- Food Batchmakers$42,290 a year
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers$42,290 a year
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers$41,640 a year
Common questions
How much do Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand earn in the United States?
The median pay was $42,660 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,480 and the highest-paid 10% more than $60,810.
How many people work as Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand?
About 10,510 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.