Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-4194

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Median pay sits 33% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Tool and Die Makers, Power Distributors and Dispatchers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4194 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur
  2. 2. Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications
  3. 3. Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences
  4. 4. Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grind…
  5. 5. Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts
  6. 6. Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding
  7. 7. Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools
  8. 8. Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications
  9. 9. File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools
  10. 10. Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts
  11. 11. Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective
  12. 12. Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4194 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.9
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.8
  3. 3. Quality Control Analysis 3.5
  4. 4. Equipment Maintenance 3.4
  5. 5. Repairing 3.4
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.3
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.0
  8. 8. Equipment Selection 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 3.6
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.5
  3. 3. English Language 3.1
  4. 4. Production and Processing 2.9
  5. 5. Education and Training 2.7
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 2.7
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-33%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $50,060/yr
$50K
National median
↓ -8%
Growth 2024-2034
500
Annual openings
5,600
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

1. Massachusetts $56,600
2. Washington $75,190
3. Oregon $60,760
4. Kansas $54,100
5. Minnesota $51,990
6. Missouri $52,540
7. Ohio $56,690
8. Mississippi $55,510
9. Idaho $59,250
10. Louisiana $56,380

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  2. 2. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  3. 3. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  4. 4. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  5. 5. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  6. 6. Power Plant Operators $102,040

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners sits 33% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $50,060.

Employment Projections expect -8% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 500 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Massachusetts at $56,600. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners pay-rank #36 in Production Occupations

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners sits at pay-rank #36 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners pays 33% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-4194

Massachusetts · top state for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

$57K published median

Washington · #2 state pay

$75K · behind Massachusetts

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners · $123K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners · $63K

Compare Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #36 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Patternmakers, Wood ($50K), Dental Laboratory Technicians ($50K), Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. Leading ones include: Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur; Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications; Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences; Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grind…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners? ▼
For SOC 51-4194, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.9), Operation and Control (3.8), Quality Control Analysis (3.5), Equipment Maintenance (3.4). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Mathematics, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $50,060 as the national median for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. The published 10th-90th range is $35,350 to $77,170. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners is -8%. Projected annual openings: about 500. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners? ▼
Massachusetts ($56,600), Washington ($75,190), Oregon ($60,760) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-4194. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics