51 Series · SOC 51-4033
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $46,550
- Median / year
- $62,600
- Top 10% earn
- -12%
- Growth '23–'33
- 67,000
- US workers
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $46,550 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $46,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,110 (10th percentile) to $62,600 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 67,000 US workers. Oregon pays the most ($57,290), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earn a median of $46,550, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 24% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #57 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 12% by 2033.
- $46,550
- Median annual wage
- Top 76%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #57 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Oregon at $57,290. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4033) pays a national median of $46,550 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $36,110 at the 10th percentile to $62,600 at the 90th, with a mean of $48,170 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 67,000 Americans work in this occupation across 49 reporting states and 255 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -12% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent 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. Oregon pays the highest state median at $57,290, which is +23% above the national figure. The top metro is Canton-Massillon, OH at $67,210 - 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
$46,550
per year
Median Hourly
$22.38/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$48,170
average
Employment
67,000
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$46,550 Bottom 24% higher than 24% 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, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits on the slower-growing side at -12% growth and $46,550 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-12%
Declining
Annual Openings
5,500
per year (projected)
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 →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, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as gauges or micrometers.
- ▸ Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices.
- ▸ Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems.
- ▸ Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings.
- ▸ Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences.
- ▸ Select machine tooling to be used, using knowledge of machine and production requirements.
- ▸ Compute machine indexings and settings for specified dimensions and base reference points.
- ▸ Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools.
- ▸ Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications.
- ▸ 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 workpieces.
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
$36,110
25th Percentile
$39,390
Median
$46,550
75th Percentile
$54,290
90th Percentile
$62,600
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 49 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $57,290 | +23% above national |
| 2 | Minnesota | $51,780 | +11% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $50,910 | +9% above national |
| 4 | Vermont | $50,640 | +9% above national |
| 5 | West Virginia | $49,950 | +7% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $49,300 | +6% above national |
| 7 | New York | $49,290 | +6% above national |
| 8 | Kentucky | $49,160 | +6% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $48,590 | +4% above national |
| 10 | Nebraska | $48,500 | +4% above national |
| 11 | South Carolina | $48,040 | +3% above national |
| 12 | North Carolina | $47,770 | +3% above national |
| 13 | North Dakota | $47,670 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $47,650 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $47,330 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Indiana | $47,310 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Maine | $47,230 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Wyoming | $46,800 | +1% above national |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $46,580 | same as national |
| 20 | Iowa | $46,380 | same as national |
| 21 | Missouri | $46,270 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Illinois | $46,180 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Nevada | $46,140 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Colorado | $46,120 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Idaho | $45,980 | 1% below national |
| 26 | California | $45,890 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Georgia | $45,850 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Michigan | $45,460 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Ohio | $45,270 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Arizona | $44,990 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Tennessee | $44,710 | 4% below national |
| 32 | New Jersey | $44,450 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Delaware | $44,390 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Utah | $44,320 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $43,650 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Maryland | $43,530 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Virginia | $43,170 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Kansas | $42,710 | 8% below national |
| 39 | Mississippi | $42,660 | 8% below national |
| 40 | Texas | $42,250 | 9% below national |
| 41 | Montana | $41,740 | 10% below national |
| 42 | Florida | $40,310 | 13% below national |
| 43 | Arkansas | $39,590 | 15% below national |
| 44 | South Dakota | $39,060 | 16% below national |
| 45 | Louisiana | $38,650 | 17% below national |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $38,570 | 17% below national |
| 47 | Alabama | $38,170 | 18% below national |
| 48 | New Mexico | $38,020 | 18% below national |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $31,400 | 33% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 255 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $67,210 | +44% above national |
| 2 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $61,900 | +33% above national |
| 3 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,270 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Bend, OR | $60,180 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $59,750 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,680 | +26% above national |
| 7 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $58,250 | +25% above national |
| 8 | Utica-Rome, NY | $57,420 | +23% above national |
| 9 | St. Cloud, MN | $57,110 | +23% above national |
| 10 | Sandusky, OH | $56,670 | +22% above national |
| 11 | Rochester, MN | $55,990 | +20% above national |
| 12 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $55,590 | +19% above national |
| 13 | Spartanburg, SC | $55,080 | +18% above national |
| 14 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $54,120 | +16% above national |
| 15 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $53,930 | +16% above national |
| 16 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $53,760 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $53,620 | +15% above national |
| 18 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $53,130 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Reading, PA | $53,090 | +14% above national |
| 20 | Tyler, TX | $52,880 | +14% above national |
| 21 | Springfield, MA | $52,660 | +13% above national |
| 22 | Sheboygan, WI | $52,310 | +12% above national |
| 23 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,990 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $51,930 | +12% above national |
| 25 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $51,140 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51,070 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $51,000 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $50,910 | +9% above national |
| 29 | Saginaw, MI | $50,880 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Albany, OR | $50,840 | +9% above national |
| 31 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $50,820 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $50,760 | +9% above national |
| 33 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $50,650 | +9% above national |
| 34 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $50,640 | +9% above national |
| 35 | Asheville, NC | $50,400 | +8% above national |
| 36 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $50,300 | +8% above national |
| 37 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $50,290 | +8% above national |
| 38 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $50,280 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $50,130 | +8% above national |
| 40 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $49,920 | +7% above national |
| 41 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $49,910 | +7% above national |
| 42 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $49,860 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $49,680 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,640 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $49,630 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Appleton, WI | $49,500 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $49,430 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Peoria, IL | $49,300 | +6% above national |
| 49 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $49,280 | +6% above national |
| 50 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,230 | +6% above national |
| 51 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,030 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Eau Claire, WI | $49,010 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Richmond, VA | $48,960 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $48,820 | +5% above national |
| 55 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $48,690 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Pueblo, CO | $48,640 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $48,630 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Dubuque, IA | $48,620 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $48,620 | +4% above national |
| 60 | New Haven, CT | $48,570 | +4% above national |
| 61 | Pittsburgh, PA | $48,530 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Lincoln, NE | $48,500 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $48,390 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,370 | +4% above national |
| 65 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,320 | +4% above national |
| 66 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $48,160 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $48,120 | +3% above national |
| 68 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $47,890 | +3% above national |
| 69 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $47,860 | +3% above national |
| 70 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,790 | +3% above national |
| 71 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $47,750 | +3% above national |
| 72 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $47,750 | +3% above national |
| 73 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,710 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $47,680 | +2% above national |
| 75 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,650 | +2% above national |
| 76 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $47,650 | +2% above national |
| 77 | Vallejo, CA | $47,630 | +2% above national |
| 78 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $47,550 | +2% above national |
| 79 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,530 | +2% above national |
| 80 | Waco, TX | $47,480 | +2% above national |
| 81 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $47,440 | +2% above national |
| 82 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $47,440 | +2% above national |
| 83 | Syracuse, NY | $47,420 | +2% above national |
| 84 | Florence, SC | $47,380 | +2% above national |
| 85 | Lancaster, PA | $47,350 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $47,320 | +2% above national |
| 87 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $47,270 | +2% above national |
| 88 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $47,230 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Madison, WI | $47,220 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $47,170 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $47,170 | +1% above national |
| 92 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $47,160 | +1% above national |
| 93 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $47,030 | +1% above national |
| 94 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $46,980 | +1% above national |
| 95 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,970 | +1% above national |
| 96 | Green Bay, WI | $46,790 | +1% above national |
| 97 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $46,760 | same as national |
| 98 | Reno, NV | $46,760 | same as national |
| 99 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $46,750 | same as national |
| 100 | Kenosha, WI | $46,740 | same as national |
| 101 | Jackson, MI | $46,730 | same as national |
| 102 | Binghamton, NY | $46,720 | same as national |
| 103 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $46,700 | same as national |
| 104 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $46,680 | same as national |
| 105 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $46,670 | same as national |
| 106 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $46,670 | same as national |
| 107 | Omaha, NE-IA | $46,590 | same as national |
| 108 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $46,580 | same as national |
| 109 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,560 | same as national |
| 110 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $46,540 | same as national |
| 111 | Fort Wayne, IN | $46,530 | same as national |
| 112 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,500 | same as national |
| 113 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,490 | same as national |
| 114 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $46,420 | same as national |
| 115 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $46,400 | same as national |
| 116 | Roanoke, VA | $46,390 | same as national |
| 117 | Terre Haute, IN | $46,370 | same as national |
| 118 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $46,370 | same as national |
| 119 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,360 | same as national |
| 120 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $46,290 | 1% below national |
| 121 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $46,230 | 1% below national |
| 122 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $46,230 | 1% below national |
| 123 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $46,220 | 1% below national |
| 124 | Worcester, MA | $46,210 | 1% below national |
| 125 | Springfield, MO | $46,170 | 1% below national |
| 126 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,160 | 1% below national |
| 127 | Carson City, NV | $46,140 | 1% below national |
| 128 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,110 | 1% below national |
| 129 | Yakima, WA | $46,020 | 1% below national |
| 130 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $45,990 | 1% below national |
| 131 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,980 | 1% below national |
| 132 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45,900 | 1% below national |
| 133 | Fond du Lac, WI | $45,850 | 2% below national |
| 134 | Columbia, SC | $45,780 | 2% below national |
| 135 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $45,620 | 2% below national |
| 136 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $45,560 | 2% below national |
| 137 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45,550 | 2% below national |
| 138 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $45,500 | 2% below national |
| 139 | Cleveland, OH | $45,440 | 2% below national |
| 140 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,440 | 2% below national |
| 141 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $45,430 | 2% below national |
| 142 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,410 | 2% below national |
| 143 | Erie, PA | $45,390 | 2% below national |
| 144 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $45,370 | 3% below national |
| 145 | Toledo, OH | $45,350 | 3% below national |
| 146 | Akron, OH | $45,330 | 3% below national |
| 147 | Mansfield, OH | $45,250 | 3% below national |
| 148 | Evansville, IN | $45,230 | 3% below national |
| 149 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $45,190 | 3% below national |
| 150 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $45,140 | 3% below national |
| 151 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $45,130 | 3% below national |
| 152 | Rochester, NY | $45,110 | 3% below national |
| 153 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $45,100 | 3% below national |
| 154 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $45,090 | 3% below national |
| 155 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,050 | 3% below national |
| 156 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $45,030 | 3% below national |
| 157 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $45,030 | 3% below national |
| 158 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $44,960 | 3% below national |
| 159 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $44,960 | 3% below national |
| 160 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $44,960 | 3% below national |
| 161 | Tucson, AZ | $44,930 | 3% below national |
| 162 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $44,900 | 4% below national |
| 163 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $44,890 | 4% below national |
| 164 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,860 | 4% below national |
| 165 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $44,830 | 4% below national |
| 166 | Modesto, CA | $44,780 | 4% below national |
| 167 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $44,680 | 4% below national |
| 168 | Columbus, OH | $44,650 | 4% below national |
| 169 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,580 | 4% below national |
| 170 | Rockford, IL | $44,580 | 4% below national |
| 171 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $44,490 | 4% below national |
| 172 | York-Hanover, PA | $44,450 | 5% below national |
| 173 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $44,410 | 5% below national |
| 174 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $44,340 | 5% below national |
| 175 | Springfield, OH | $44,270 | 5% below national |
| 176 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $44,160 | 5% below national |
| 177 | Kankakee, IL | $44,130 | 5% below national |
| 178 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $44,100 | 5% below national |
| 179 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $43,960 | 6% below national |
| 180 | Monroe, MI | $43,680 | 6% below national |
| 181 | Morristown, TN | $43,680 | 6% below national |
| 182 | Elmira, NY | $43,620 | 6% below national |
| 183 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $43,380 | 7% below national |
| 184 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $43,370 | 7% below national |
| 185 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $43,280 | 7% below national |
| 186 | Columbus, IN | $43,240 | 7% below national |
| 187 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $43,170 | 7% below national |
| 188 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $43,130 | 7% below national |
| 189 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $42,920 | 8% below national |
| 190 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $42,710 | 8% below national |
| 191 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $42,700 | 8% below national |
| 192 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $42,540 | 9% below national |
| 193 | Colorado Springs, CO | $42,420 | 9% below national |
| 194 | Wichita, KS | $42,370 | 9% below national |
| 195 | Greeley, CO | $42,330 | 9% below national |
| 196 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $42,270 | 9% below national |
| 197 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $42,250 | 9% below national |
| 198 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $41,490 | 11% below national |
| 199 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $41,150 | 12% below national |
| 200 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $41,080 | 12% below national |
| 201 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $41,050 | 12% below national |
| 202 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $41,040 | 12% below national |
| 203 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $40,680 | 13% below national |
| 204 | Battle Creek, MI | $40,610 | 13% below national |
| 205 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $40,600 | 13% below national |
| 206 | Wausau, WI | $40,580 | 13% below national |
| 207 | Ann Arbor, MI | $40,500 | 13% below national |
| 208 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $40,310 | 13% below national |
| 209 | Fresno, CA | $40,040 | 14% below national |
| 210 | Niles, MI | $40,000 | 14% below national |
| 211 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $39,770 | 15% below national |
| 212 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $39,720 | 15% below national |
| 213 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $39,600 | 15% below national |
| 214 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $39,590 | 15% below national |
| 215 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $39,500 | 15% below national |
| 216 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $39,440 | 15% below national |
| 217 | Traverse City, MI | $39,420 | 15% below national |
| 218 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $39,300 | 16% below national |
| 219 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $39,240 | 16% below national |
| 220 | Knoxville, TN | $39,170 | 16% below national |
| 221 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $39,080 | 16% below national |
| 222 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $39,080 | 16% below national |
| 223 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $39,050 | 16% below national |
| 224 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $38,980 | 16% below national |
| 225 | Mobile, AL | $38,900 | 16% below national |
| 226 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $38,890 | 16% below national |
| 227 | Montgomery, AL | $38,790 | 17% below national |
| 228 | Wilmington, NC | $38,720 | 17% below national |
| 229 | Jacksonville, FL | $38,670 | 17% below national |
| 230 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $38,620 | 17% below national |
| 231 | Tulsa, OK | $38,570 | 17% below national |
| 232 | El Paso, TX | $38,540 | 17% below national |
| 233 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $38,500 | 17% below national |
| 234 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $38,380 | 18% below national |
| 235 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $38,220 | 18% below national |
| 236 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $38,170 | 18% below national |
| 237 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $37,960 | 18% below national |
| 238 | Flint, MI | $37,910 | 19% below national |
| 239 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $37,790 | 19% below national |
| 240 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $37,780 | 19% below national |
| 241 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $37,750 | 19% below national |
| 242 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $37,590 | 19% below national |
| 243 | Lynchburg, VA | $37,110 | 20% below national |
| 244 | Winston-Salem, NC | $37,040 | 20% below national |
| 245 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $36,870 | 21% below national |
| 246 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,830 | 21% below national |
| 247 | Ogden, UT | $36,710 | 21% below national |
| 248 | Huntsville, AL | $36,520 | 22% below national |
| 249 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $36,520 | 22% below national |
| 250 | Birmingham, AL | $36,180 | 22% below national |
| 251 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,040 | 23% below national |
| 252 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $35,840 | 23% below national |
| 253 | Baton Rouge, LA | $35,790 | 23% below national |
| 254 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $32,110 | 31% below national |
| 255 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $28,700 | 38% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make? ▼
What state pays Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
How dangerous is being a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
Is Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic a good career? ▼
How does Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $54,290/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: Oregon leads at $57,290/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.