Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Salary
Production Occupations · 11K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$42,660
Median hourly
$21
Average annual
$45,020
Typical range
$33,480–$60,810
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand is $42,660 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $21 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $33,480 and $60,810 a year. There are roughly 11K people employed as grinding and polishing workers, hand in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand.
- Hourly
- $20.51
- Daily
- $164
- Weekly
- $820
- Bi-weekly
- $1,641
- Monthly
- $3,555
- Annual
- $42,660
$42,660 a year is around the 50th percentile for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hands. The median is $42,660.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Vermont$56,850
- 2Minnesota$51,930
- 3Rhode Island$51,630
- 4Montana$50,460
- 5Virginia$48,830
- 6Connecticut$48,670
- 7Kansas$48,410
- 8Maryland$48,390
- 9New Hampshire$47,920
- 10New Jersey$47,840
- 11Wisconsin$47,790
- 12Delaware$47,780
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$65,540
- 2St. Louis, MO-IL$58,950
- 3Madison, WI$56,160
- 4Kansas City, MO-KS$53,620
- 5Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$52,890
- 6Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$51,770
- 7San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$51,680
- 8Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$51,630
- 9Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$51,310
- 10New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$51,000
- 11San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$48,980
- 12Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$48,670
Related job titles
Employers advertise Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners$50,060
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,540
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,170
What a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand does
- 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.
- Transfer equipment, objects, or parts to specified work areas, using moving devices.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand make?
- The median annual wage for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand is $42,660 ($21 per hour). Pay ranges from about $33,480 at the 10th percentile to $60,810 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $45,020, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hands the most?
- Vermont has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $56,850.
- Is Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 11K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand do?
- 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..