Occupation salary profile

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

SOC 51-9021 BLS OEWS May 2025

Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

National median · BLS
$48,540
▲ +3.52% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$51,380
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
26,000
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$36,520
25th$40,430
Median (50th)$48,540
75th$60,040
90th — top pay$69,240

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

BLS projects employment of crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 2,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
26,600 → 26,100
-400 jobs
Projected change
-1.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
2,300
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
2.4% 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.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operation and Control3.9
  • Operations Monitoring3.9
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Quality Control Analysis3.1
  • Active Listening3.0
  • Coordination3.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.0
  • Reading Comprehension3.0
  • Speaking3.0
  • Time Management3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Administration and Management3.5
  • Production and Processing3.4
  • English Language3.2
  • Education and Training3.2
  • Public Safety and Security3.0
  • Mathematics3.0
  • Mechanical2.9
  • Administrative2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordSAP softwareEmail software

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 crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders do

  • 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.
  • Record data from operations, testing, and production on specified forms.
  • Reject defective products and readjust equipment to eliminate problems.
Also called
GrinderMachine OperatorMillerPreparation Operator (Prep Operator)Beveler OperatorCullet TruckerGrinder OperatorMachine TenderPolisherPulverizer
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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.