51 Series · SOC 51-9022
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $42,660
- Median / year
- $60,810
- Top 10% earn
- -21.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 10,510
- US workers
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand earn a median of $42,660 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $42,660, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,480 (10th percentile) to $60,810 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 10,510 US workers. Vermont pays the most ($56,850), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand earn a median of $42,660, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 16% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #78 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 21.2% by 2033.
- $42,660
- Median annual wage
- Top 84%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #78 of 105
- in Production
- 1.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Vermont at $56,850. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (SOC 51-9022) pays a national median of $42,660 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,480 at the 10th percentile to $60,810 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,020 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 10,510 Americans work in this occupation across 40 reporting states and 63 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -21.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Vermont pays the highest state median at $56,850, which is +33% above the national figure. The top metro is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $65,540 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$42,660
per year
Median Hourly
$20.51/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,020
average
Employment
10,510
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$42,660 Bottom 16% higher than 16% of 825 US occupations
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.
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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand sits on the slower-growing side at -21.2% growth and $42,660 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-21.2%
Declining
Annual Openings
800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
- ▸ Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
- ▸ Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
- ▸ Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
- ▸ Mark defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.
- ▸ Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
- ▸ Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
- ▸ Remove completed workpieces from equipment or work tables, using hand tools, and place workpieces in containers.
- ▸ Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
- ▸ Repair and maintain equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,480
25th Percentile
$37,450
Median
$42,660
75th Percentile
$49,980
90th Percentile
$60,810
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 40 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $56,850 | +33% above national |
| 2 | Minnesota | $51,930 | +22% above national |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $51,630 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Montana | $50,460 | +18% above national |
| 5 | Virginia | $48,830 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Connecticut | $48,670 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Kansas | $48,410 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $48,390 | +13% above national |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $47,920 | +12% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $47,840 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $47,790 | +12% above national |
| 12 | Delaware | $47,780 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Missouri | $47,360 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Washington | $47,290 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Iowa | $47,280 | +11% above national |
| 16 | New York | $47,240 | +11% above national |
| 17 | South Carolina | $45,710 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Nevada | $45,310 | +6% above national |
| 19 | California | $44,450 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Michigan | $44,430 | +4% above national |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $42,700 | same as national |
| 22 | Oregon | $42,380 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Georgia | $40,660 | 5% below national |
| 24 | Colorado | $40,600 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $40,510 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Ohio | $40,310 | 6% below national |
| 27 | Mississippi | $40,280 | 6% below national |
| 28 | West Virginia | $39,870 | 7% below national |
| 29 | Florida | $39,480 | 7% below national |
| 30 | Arkansas | $38,960 | 9% below national |
| 31 | Indiana | $38,810 | 9% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $38,340 | 10% below national |
| 33 | Arizona | $38,280 | 10% below national |
| 34 | Texas | $38,170 | 11% below national |
| 35 | North Carolina | $37,600 | 12% below national |
| 36 | Illinois | $36,590 | 14% below national |
| 37 | Alabama | $35,620 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Tennessee | $33,830 | 21% below national |
| 39 | Louisiana | $33,160 | 22% below national |
| 40 | New Mexico | $28,640 | 33% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 63 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $65,540 | +54% above national |
| 2 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,950 | +38% above national |
| 3 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $56,610 | +33% above national |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $56,160 | +32% above national |
| 5 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $53,620 | +26% above national |
| 6 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $52,890 | +24% above national |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $51,770 | +21% above national |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $51,680 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $51,630 | +21% above national |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,310 | +20% above national |
| 11 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,000 | +20% above national |
| 12 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,980 | +15% above national |
| 13 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $48,670 | +14% above national |
| 14 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,220 | +13% above national |
| 15 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $47,890 | +12% above national |
| 16 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $47,840 | +12% above national |
| 17 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $47,690 | +12% above national |
| 18 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,960 | +10% above national |
| 19 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $46,550 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,300 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Columbia, SC | $45,710 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $45,360 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $45,310 | +6% above national |
| 24 | Modesto, CA | $45,110 | +6% above national |
| 25 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,100 | +6% above national |
| 26 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $45,070 | +6% above national |
| 27 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $44,940 | +5% above national |
| 28 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $44,740 | +5% above national |
| 29 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,660 | +5% above national |
| 30 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $44,370 | +4% above national |
| 31 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $43,510 | +2% above national |
| 32 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $43,250 | +1% above national |
| 33 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $43,050 | +1% above national |
| 34 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,860 | same as national |
| 35 | Oklahoma City, OK | $41,470 | 3% below national |
| 36 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $41,360 | 3% below national |
| 37 | Cleveland, OH | $40,630 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $40,250 | 6% below national |
| 39 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $40,110 | 6% below national |
| 40 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,750 | 7% below national |
| 41 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $39,730 | 7% below national |
| 42 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $39,410 | 8% below national |
| 43 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $38,920 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,800 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $38,280 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $38,240 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $38,160 | 11% below national |
| 48 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $37,570 | 12% below national |
| 49 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $37,470 | 12% below national |
| 50 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $37,470 | 12% below national |
| 51 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $37,440 | 12% below national |
| 52 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $37,230 | 13% below national |
| 53 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $36,960 | 13% below national |
| 54 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $36,870 | 14% below national |
| 55 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $36,680 | 14% below national |
| 56 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $36,590 | 14% below national |
| 57 | Tulsa, OK | $36,560 | 14% below national |
| 58 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $35,480 | 17% below national |
| 59 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $35,180 | 18% below national |
| 60 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $34,920 | 18% below national |
| 61 | Albuquerque, NM | $31,390 | 26% below national |
| 62 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $29,030 | 32% below national |
| 63 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $26,460 | 38% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand make? ▼
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What education do you need to become a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand? ▼
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Is Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand a good career? ▼
How does Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $49,980/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Vermont leads at $56,850/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.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
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.