Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

Median salary

$42,660

Average salary

$45,020

Employment

10,510

Projected growth

21.2% decline

Annual openings

800

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

What Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Do

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.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Production and Processingimportance 3.6/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.6/5
English Languageimportance 3.1/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.8/5
Education and Trainingimportance 2.7/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.6/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.5/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.4/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.8/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.8/5
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.5/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.5/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators97% skill match
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders97% skill match
Sailors and Marine Oilers97% skill match
Printing Press Operators97% skill match
Logging Equipment Operators96% skill match
Gas Plant Operators96% skill match
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas96% skill match
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.4/5
Operations Monitoringimportance 3.3/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.1/5
Repairingimportance 3.0/5
Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.8/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Perseverance
Achievement Orientation
Integrity
Stress Tolerance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
ArtisticLow
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where grinding and polishing workers, hand make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).