Careers / Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$42,660
United States, 2025
Employment
10,510
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
- O*NET code
- 51-9022.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Clean brass particles from files by drawing file cards through file grooves.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$33,480
25th percentile
$37,450
75th percentile
$49,980
90th percentile
$60,810
Most important skills
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Operation and Control3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Repairing3.0
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Troubleshooting2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Active Listening2.9
- Monitoring2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 5 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
5
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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Compare with Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | $65,540 | 130 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $58,950 | 70 | 2025 |
| VT | $56,850 | 50 | 2025 |
| Madison, WI | $56,160 | 60 | 2025 |
| Kansas City, MO | $53,620 | 60 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $52,890 | 60 | 2025 |
| MN | $51,930 | 120 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $51,770 | 90 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $51,680 | 100 | 2025 |
| Providence, RI | $51,630 | 140 | 2025 |
| RI | $51,630 | 130 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $51,310 | 60 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $51,000 | 450 | 2025 |
| MT | $50,460 | — | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $48,980 | 120 | 2025 |
| VA | $48,830 | 330 | 2025 |
| CT | $48,670 | 230 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $48,670 | 110 | 2025 |
| KS | $48,410 | 100 | 2025 |
| MD | $48,390 | — | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.