SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4033.
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 | $36,110 | $3,009 | $694 | $17.36 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $39,390 | $3,282 | $758 | $18.94 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $46,550 | $3,879 | $895 | $22.38 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $54,290 | $4,524 | $1,044 | $26.10 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $62,600 | $5,217 | $1,204 | $30.10 |
* 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, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is $46,550, which is 9% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 57 by median pay. With 67,000 jobs, it makes up about 4.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by state
The highest median pay was in Oregon ($57,290), Minnesota ($51,780) and Massachusetts ($50,910). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($31,400), New Mexico ($38,020) and Alabama ($38,170). The most jobs were in California (7,800), Ohio (5,960) and Michigan (4,180). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 3.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 1,180 | $57,290 | $58,530 | $27.54 |
| Minnesota | 1,400 | $51,780 | $56,470 | $24.90 |
| Massachusetts | 2,420 | $50,910 | $54,320 | $24.48 |
| Vermont | 300 | $50,640 | $54,310 | $24.35 |
| West Virginia | 200 | $49,950 | $48,900 | $24.02 |
| Washington | 1,870 | $49,300 | $53,290 | $23.70 |
| New York | 2,410 | $49,290 | $52,640 | $23.70 |
| Kentucky | 850 | $49,160 | $51,730 | $23.63 |
| Connecticut | 1,530 | $48,590 | $49,690 | $23.36 |
| Nebraska | 300 | $48,500 | $47,420 | $23.32 |
| South Carolina | 1,730 | $48,040 | $49,970 | $23.10 |
| North Carolina | 1,610 | $47,770 | $47,010 | $22.97 |
| North Dakota | not published | $47,670 | $51,360 | $22.92 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,830 | $47,650 | $47,840 | $22.91 |
| Wisconsin | 3,570 | $47,330 | $48,520 | $22.76 |
| Indiana | 4,170 | $47,310 | $48,670 | $22.74 |
| Maine | 170 | $47,230 | $47,440 | $22.71 |
| Wyoming | 30 | $46,800 | $49,190 | $22.50 |
| New Hampshire | 600 | $46,580 | $48,230 | $22.40 |
| Iowa | 890 | $46,380 | $49,130 | $22.30 |
| Missouri | 1,210 | $46,270 | $50,700 | $22.25 |
| Illinois | 4,100 | $46,180 | $48,750 | $22.20 |
| Nevada | 170 | $46,140 | $49,150 | $22.18 |
| Colorado | 500 | $46,120 | $47,210 | $22.17 |
| Idaho | 170 | $45,980 | $45,270 | $22.11 |
| California | 7,800 | $45,890 | $48,450 | $22.06 |
| Georgia | 940 | $45,850 | $46,330 | $22.04 |
| Michigan | 4,180 | $45,460 | $46,830 | $21.85 |
| Ohio | 5,960 | $45,270 | $47,070 | $21.76 |
| Arizona | 670 | $44,990 | $45,910 | $21.63 |
| Tennessee | 1,340 | $44,710 | $44,740 | $21.50 |
| New Jersey | 860 | $44,450 | $45,940 | $21.37 |
| Delaware | 50 | $44,390 | $43,760 | $21.34 |
| Utah | 400 | $44,320 | $45,490 | $21.31 |
| Rhode Island | 140 | $43,650 | $49,300 | $20.99 |
| Maryland | 160 | $43,530 | $43,890 | $20.93 |
| Virginia | 620 | $43,170 | $43,310 | $20.76 |
| Kansas | 1,010 | $42,710 | $42,810 | $20.53 |
| Mississippi | 430 | $42,660 | $45,900 | $20.51 |
| Texas | 2,960 | $42,250 | $42,170 | $20.31 |
| Montana | 160 | $41,740 | $42,390 | $20.07 |
| Florida | 1,020 | $40,310 | $43,250 | $19.38 |
| Arkansas | 340 | $39,590 | $42,920 | $19.03 |
| South Dakota | 130 | $39,060 | $40,130 | $18.78 |
| Louisiana | 160 | $38,650 | $41,150 | $18.58 |
| Oklahoma | 870 | $38,570 | $41,490 | $18.54 |
| Alabama | 1,500 | $38,170 | $41,330 | $18.35 |
| New Mexico | 30 | $38,020 | $40,490 | $18.28 |
| Puerto Rico | 60 | $31,400 | $35,410 | $15.10 |
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
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators$46,880 a year
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$46,680 a year
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570 a year
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders$46,460 a year
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$46,350 a year
- Upholsterers$46,340 a year
Common questions
How much do Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn in the United States?
The median pay was $46,550 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,110 and the highest-paid 10% more than $62,600.
How many people work as Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic?
About 67,000 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.