Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. is $48,540 ($23.34 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $48,540
- Mean annual wage
- $51,380
- Median hourly wage
- $23.34
- Employment
- 26,000
26,000 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,520 | $17.56 |
| 25th percentile | $40,430 | $19.44 |
| Median (50th) | $48,540 | $23.34 |
| 75th percentile | $60,040 | $28.87 |
| 90th percentile | $69,240 | $33.29 |
Highest-paying states for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $71,300 | 170 |
| Alaska | $68,730 | 60 |
| Iowa | $62,590 | 1,420 |
| Nevada | $60,180 | 660 |
| Montana | $60,110 | 260 |
| Nebraska | $58,920 | 270 |
| Vermont | $58,890 | 160 |
| West Virginia | $58,760 | 160 |
| New York | $58,090 | 950 |
| Minnesota | $56,550 | 660 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $37,420 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $38,380 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $38,910 median annual wage
- Maryland: $42,280 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $42,520 median annual wage
About this occupation
Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.
Typical tasks
- Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
- Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
- Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Examine materials, ingredients, or products, visually or with hands, to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Transfer materials, supplies, and products between work areas, using moving equipment and hand tools.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 16.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.9% |
| Associate's degree | 7.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 7.7% |
| Master's degree | 0.8% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.