51 Series · SOC 51-9021

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$48,540
Median / year
+3.5%
2024→2025
$69,240
Top 10% earn
-2.5%
Growth '24–'34
26,000
Estimated US jobs

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,540 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $48,540, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,520 (10th percentile) to $69,240 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 26,000 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Wyoming ($71,300).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,540, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 29% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #45 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 2.5% by 2034.

$48,540
Median annual wage
Top 71%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#45 of 105
in Production
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Wyoming at $71,300. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders moved from $37,560 in May 2019 to $48,540 in May 2025 (+29.2%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits +4.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (SOC 51-9021) has a national median of $48,540 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,520 to $69,240, and the published mean is $51,380. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 26,000 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 48 state or territory areas and 189 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $46,890 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $48,540 in May 2025, a rise of $1,650 (+3.5%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -2.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 2,700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Wyoming pays the highest state median at $71,300, which is +47% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Duluth, MN-WI at $84,310. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 26,000 jobs Median $48,540/yr

Median Salary

$48,540

per year

Median Hourly

$23.34/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$51,380

average

Employment

26,000

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$48,540 Bottom 29% higher than 29% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$48,540 · 29th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at -2.5% growth and $48,540 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.5% · Median annual wage: $48540
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at -2.5% growth and $48,540 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
  • Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.5%, Median annual wage $48540

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-2.5%

Declining

Annual Openings

2,700

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-700

28,700 (2024) → 27,900 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.9
Operation and Control 3.9
Monitoring 3.1
Quality Control Analysis 3.1
Reading Comprehension 3.0
Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Coordination 3.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
Time Management 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Administration and Management 3.5
Production and Processing 3.4
English Language 3.2
Education and Training 3.2
Public Safety and Security 3.0
Mathematics 3.0
Mechanical 2.9
Administrative 2.6
Customer and Personal Service 2.5
Computers and Electronics 2.5

Key Tasks

  • Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
  • Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
  • Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
  • Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
  • Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
  • Test samples of materials or products to ensure compliance with specifications, using test equipment.
  • Mark bins as to types of mixtures stored.
  • Transfer materials, supplies, and products between work areas, using moving equipment and hand tools.
  • Add or mix chemicals and ingredients for processing, using hand tools or other devices.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,520
25th$40,430
Median$48,540
75th$60,040
90th$69,240

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.56
25th$19.44
Median$23.34
75th$28.87
90th$33.29

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $33,810National median - 2016: $34,390National median - 2017: $35,380National median - 2018: $36,400National median - 2019: $37,560National median - 2020: $39,370National median - 2021: $38,760National median - 2022: $43,290National median - 2023: $44,510National median - 2024: $46,890National median - 2025: $48,540$48,540
National median annual wage for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $33,810
2016 $34,390
2017 $35,380
2018 $36,400
2019 $37,560
2020 $39,370
2021 $38,760
2022 $43,290
2023 $44,510
2024 $46,890
2025 $48,540

2015 median

$33,810

2025 median

$48,540

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,980 (+29.2%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.4%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $33,810 First banked release 31,140
May 2016 $34,390 +1.7% 29,830
May 2017 $35,380 +2.9% 31,390
May 2018 $36,400 +2.9% 31,890
May 2019 $37,560 Classification break 33,360
May 2020 $39,370 +4.8% 32,460
May 2021 $38,760 -1.5% 31,800
May 2022 $43,290 +11.7% 27,320
May 2023 $44,510 +2.8% 26,210
May 2024 $46,890 +5.3% 28,550
May 2025 $48,540 +3.5% 26,000

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $33,810 in May 2015 to $48,540 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 33,360 in May 2019 to 26,000 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 48 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Wyoming $71,300 +47% above national
2 Alaska $68,730 +42% above national
3 Iowa $62,590 +29% above national
4 Nevada $60,180 +24% above national
5 Montana $60,110 +24% above national
6 Nebraska $58,920 +21% above national
7 Vermont $58,890 +21% above national
8 West Virginia $58,760 +21% above national
9 New York $58,090 +20% above national
10 Minnesota $56,550 +17% above national
11 Oregon $55,600 +15% above national
12 Wisconsin $54,580 +12% above national
13 Maine $54,080 +11% above national
14 Connecticut $53,130 +9% above national
15 Pennsylvania $52,560 +8% above national
16 Alabama $51,920 +7% above national
17 Utah $51,770 +7% above national
18 Idaho $51,500 +6% above national
19 Indiana $51,150 +5% above national
20 New Hampshire $50,360 +4% above national
21 Arizona $50,270 +4% above national
22 Massachusetts $50,110 +3% above national
23 North Dakota $49,280 +2% above national
24 Missouri $48,840 +1% above national
25 Kansas $48,570 same as national
26 South Dakota $48,330 same as national
27 Illinois $48,290 1% below national
28 Washington $48,020 1% below national
29 Colorado $46,950 3% below national
30 Florida $46,950 3% below national
31 New Jersey $46,690 4% below national
32 Michigan $46,500 4% below national
33 North Carolina $46,270 5% below national
34 Georgia $45,920 5% below national
35 California $45,870 6% below national
36 New Mexico $45,760 6% below national
37 Virginia $45,560 6% below national
38 South Carolina $45,280 7% below national
39 Texas $45,090 7% below national
40 Louisiana $44,900 7% below national
41 Ohio $43,850 10% below national
42 Tennessee $42,950 12% below national
43 Kentucky $42,520 12% below national
44 Maryland $42,280 13% below national
45 Arkansas $38,910 20% below national
46 Oklahoma $38,380 21% below national
47 Mississippi $37,420 23% below national
48 Puerto Rico $23,340 52% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 120 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Duluth, MN-WI $84,310 +74% above national
2 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $66,800 +38% above national
3 Corpus Christi, TX $66,540 +37% above national
4 Sandusky, OH $65,240 +34% above national
5 Cedar Rapids, IA $64,670 +33% above national
6 Chambersburg, PA $64,190 +32% above national
7 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $63,970 +32% above national
8 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $63,800 +31% above national
9 Omaha, NE-IA $61,950 +28% above national
10 Ogden, UT $61,860 +27% above national
11 Medford, OR $61,830 +27% above national
12 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $59,930 +23% above national
13 Decatur, AL $59,920 +23% above national
14 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $59,880 +23% above national
15 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $59,320 +22% above national
16 Evansville, IN $59,290 +22% above national
17 Salem, OR $59,290 +22% above national
18 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $59,160 +22% above national
19 Rochester, NY $59,130 +22% above national
20 Reno, NV $58,820 +21% above national
21 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $58,670 +21% above national
22 Boise City, ID $58,420 +20% above national
23 Portland-South Portland, ME $58,140 +20% above national
24 Kansas City, MO-KS $57,690 +19% above national
25 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $57,210 +18% above national
26 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $57,050 +18% above national
27 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $56,460 +16% above national
28 Fargo, ND-MN $56,080 +16% above national
29 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $55,920 +15% above national
30 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $55,560 +14% above national
31 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $55,160 +14% above national
32 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $55,090 +13% above national
33 Reading, PA $54,890 +13% above national
34 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $54,580 +12% above national
35 Pittsburgh, PA $53,040 +9% above national
36 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $52,730 +9% above national
37 Terre Haute, IN $51,880 +7% above national
38 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $51,750 +7% above national
39 Worcester, MA $51,320 +6% above national
40 Lancaster, PA $51,140 +5% above national
41 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $51,020 +5% above national
42 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $50,860 +5% above national
43 St. Cloud, MN $50,850 +5% above national
44 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $50,740 +5% above national
45 Wichita, KS $50,740 +5% above national
46 St. Joseph, MO-KS $50,640 +4% above national
47 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $50,600 +4% above national
48 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $50,400 +4% above national
49 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $50,260 +4% above national
50 Syracuse, NY $49,920 +3% above national
51 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $49,860 +3% above national
52 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $49,720 +2% above national
53 Jacksonville, FL $49,580 +2% above national
54 Boulder, CO $49,520 +2% above national
55 Bismarck, ND $49,180 +1% above national
56 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $49,160 +1% above national
57 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $49,020 +1% above national
58 Columbus, OH $48,860 +1% above national
59 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $48,530 same as national
60 St. Louis, MO-IL $48,450 same as national
61 Columbia, SC $48,400 same as national
62 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,290 1% below national
63 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $48,230 1% below national
64 Napa, CA $47,860 1% below national
65 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $47,840 1% below national
66 Eugene-Springfield, OR $47,830 1% below national
67 Fort Wayne, IN $47,790 2% below national
68 Joplin, MO-KS $47,790 2% below national
69 Springfield, MA $47,630 2% below national
70 Jackson, TN $47,180 3% below national
71 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,090 3% below national
72 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $47,080 3% below national
73 Lincoln, NE $46,870 3% below national
74 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $46,770 4% below national
75 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $46,530 4% below national
76 Greeley, CO $46,430 4% below national
77 Fresno, CA $46,270 5% below national
78 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $46,260 5% below national
79 Toledo, OH $46,230 5% below national
80 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $46,110 5% below national
81 Modesto, CA $46,000 5% below national
82 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $45,840 6% below national
83 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $45,560 6% below national
84 Great Falls, MT $45,440 6% below national
85 Gainesville, GA $44,720 8% below national
86 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $44,680 8% below national
87 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $44,580 8% below national
88 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $44,500 8% below national
89 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $44,450 8% below national
90 Canton-Massillon, OH $44,370 9% below national
91 Raleigh-Cary, NC $44,290 9% below national
92 Richmond, VA $44,240 9% below national
93 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $44,220 9% below national
94 Chattanooga, TN-GA $44,180 9% below national
95 Stockton-Lodi, CA $44,030 9% below national
96 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $43,930 9% below national
97 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $43,820 10% below national
98 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $43,770 10% below national
99 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $43,700 10% below national
100 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $43,220 11% below national
101 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $43,220 11% below national
102 Knoxville, TN $42,990 11% below national
103 Albuquerque, NM $42,840 12% below national
104 Birmingham, AL $42,690 12% below national
105 Baton Rouge, LA $41,600 14% below national
106 Jonesboro, AR $41,280 15% below national
107 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $41,210 15% below national
108 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $40,870 16% below national
109 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $40,850 16% below national
110 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $40,580 16% below national
111 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $40,560 16% below national
112 Cleveland, OH $39,670 18% below national
113 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $38,910 20% below national
114 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $38,820 20% below national
115 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $38,730 20% below national
116 Oklahoma City, OK $37,810 22% below national
117 Tulsa, OK $36,950 24% below national
118 Savannah, GA $36,930 24% below national
119 Merced, CA $36,820 24% below national
120 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $23,340 52% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($48,540 here) and reported employment (26,000 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
The median annual salary for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $48,540 ($23.34/hour). The salary range spans from $36,520 at the 10th percentile to $69,240 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $48,540, Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay is higher than 29% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
Wyoming pays the highest median salary for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders at $71,300/year, which is +47% above the national median.
What education do Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders need?
BLS assigns Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a good career?
Employment for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to decline 2.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 2,700 openings are projected each year.
How does Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay vary by state?
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Wyoming at $71,300/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $23,340/year. BLS data covers 48 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Duluth, MN-WI at $84,310/year. BLS reports a median for 120 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $60,040/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Wyoming leads at $71,300/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.