Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand salary in the U.S.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand in the U.S. earn a median of $42,660 a year ($20.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 10,510 workers.
Pay ranges from $33,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,810 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $45,020, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for grinding and polishing workers, hand in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,480 | $16.09 |
| 25th percentile | $37,450 | $18.00 |
| Median | $42,660 | $20.51 |
| 75th percentile | $49,980 | $24.03 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,810 | $29.23 |
| Average (mean) | $45,020 | $21.64 |
Half of grinding and polishing workers, hand earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,555 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,777.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,640.77 |
| Weekly | $820.38 |
| Hourly | $20.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $56,850 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $51,930 | 120 |
| Rhode Island | $51,630 | 130 |
| Montana | $50,460 | n/a |
| Virginia | $48,830 | 330 |
| Connecticut | $48,670 | 230 |
| Kansas | $48,410 | 100 |
| Maryland | $48,390 | n/a |
| New Hampshire | $47,920 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $47,840 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $47,790 | 290 |
| Delaware | $47,780 | 40 |
| Missouri | $47,360 | 180 |
| Washington | $47,290 | 90 |
| Iowa | $47,280 | n/a |
| New York | $47,240 | 440 |
| South Carolina | $45,710 | 260 |
| Nevada | $45,310 | 90 |
| California | $44,450 | 1,850 |
| Michigan | $44,430 | 650 |
| Massachusetts | $42,700 | 170 |
| Oregon | $42,380 | 160 |
| Georgia | $40,660 | 220 |
| Colorado | $40,600 | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,510 | 140 |
| Ohio | $40,310 | 490 |
| Mississippi | $40,280 | 30 |
| West Virginia | $39,870 | n/a |
| Florida | $39,480 | 510 |
| Arkansas | $38,960 | 140 |
| Indiana | $38,810 | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $38,340 | 160 |
| Arizona | $38,280 | 560 |
| Texas | $38,170 | 840 |
| North Carolina | $37,600 | 330 |
| Illinois | $36,590 | 60 |
| Alabama | $35,620 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $33,830 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $33,160 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $28,640 | 120 |
Best-paying metro areas for grinding and polishing workers, hand
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $65,540 | 130 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,950 | 70 |
| Madison, WI | $56,160 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $53,620 | 60 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $52,890 | 60 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $51,770 | 90 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $51,680 | 100 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $51,630 | 140 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,310 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,000 | 450 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,980 | 120 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $48,670 | 110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,220 | 80 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $47,840 | 70 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $47,690 | n/a |
Metro areas with the most grinding and polishing workers, hand
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 880 | $44,660 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 490 | $38,280 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 450 | $51,000 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 280 | $46,960 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 210 | $38,920 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 200 | $40,250 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 190 | $42,860 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 150 | $37,470 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 140 | $51,630 |
| Cleveland, OH | 130 | $40,630 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 130 | $40,110 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 130 | $65,540 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 120 | $48,980 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 110 | $48,670 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 110 | $36,680 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a grinding and polishing workers, hand make in the U.S.?
The median salary for grinding and polishing workers, hand in the U.S. is $42,660 a year, or $20.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,810 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid grinding and polishing workers, hand make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of grinding and polishing workers, hand in the U.S. earn at least $60,810 a year. The top 25% earn $49,980 or more.
What is the starting pay for grinding and polishing workers, hand in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,480 a year, and a quarter of grinding and polishing workers, hand earn $37,450 or less.
How many grinding and polishing workers, hand work in the U.S.?
About 10,510 grinding and polishing workers, hand are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.