Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SOC 51-4033BLS OEWS May 2025
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.
National median · BLS
$46,550
▲ +3.01%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$48,170
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
67,000
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,110
25th
$39,390
Median (50th)
$46,550
75th
$54,290
90th — top pay
$62,600
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
BLS projects employment of grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to decline 10.8% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 4,500 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
68,500 → 61,100
-7,400 jobs
Projected change
-10.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,500
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.9% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices.
Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as gauges or micrometers.
Set and adjust machine controls according to product specifications, using knowledge of machine operation.
Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems.
Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications.
Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences.
Lift and position workpieces, manually or with hoists, and secure them in hoppers or on machine tables, faceplates, or chucks, using clamps.
Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $46,550.
