Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Median salary

$46,550

Average salary

$48,170

Employment

67,000

Projected growth

12% decline

Annual openings

5,500

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do

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.

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 3.5/5
Mathematicsimportance 3.0/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.8/5
Mechanicalimportance 2.7/5
English Languageimportance 2.6/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.5/5
Designimportance 2.2/5
Administrativeimportance 2.1/5

Work Environment

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

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.9/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6/5
Time Pressure4.3/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.2/5
Spend Time Standing4.1/5

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.

Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders97% skill match
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic97% skill match
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders96% skill match
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
Power Plant Operators96% skill match
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders95% skill match
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders95% skill match

Transferable Skills

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

Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
Operation and Controlimportance 4.0/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.5/5
Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.0/5
Coordinationimportance 2.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
Equipment Selectionimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

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

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Manufacturing reporting system
Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC

Work Style

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

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Achievement Orientation
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance

Career Interests

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

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
ArtisticLow
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, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).