Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,540 per year ($23.34/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 1.7% through 2035, with about 2,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9021
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,540a year, or $23.34/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $69K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,30026,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202526.6K
- Projected 203526.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 26.6K Projected 2035 26.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school19.4%
- High school61.7%
- Certificate1.2%
- Some college17.7%
Highest education held by crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders Segment Value Less than high school 19.4% High school 61.7% Certificate 1.2% Some college 17.7%
Also advertised as: Beveler Operator, Cullet Trucker, Grinder, Grinder Operator, Machine Operator, Machine Tender.
Pay
How much do Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
Every crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setter, operator, and tender in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,540
Middle half earn $40,430 to $60,040
- 10th
- $36,520
- 25th
- $40,430
- 75th
- $60,040
- 90th
- $69,240
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,520 |
| 25th | $40,430 |
| Median | $48,540 |
| 75th | $60,040 |
| 90th | $69,240 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,540
- Median hourly wage
- $23.34/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $51,380
- People employed
- 26,000
Versus all US occupations
At $48,540, Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn 5% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,440 a year.
Versus production occupations
The median is typical for the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $69,240 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,520, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 19% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Wyoming pays the most at $71,300, and still leads at $76,922 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wyoming | $71,300 | $76,922 | 170 |
| 2Alaska | $68,730 | $67,146 | 60 |
| 3Iowa | $62,590 | $71,318 | 1,420 |
| 4Nevada | $60,180 | $60,193 | 660 |
| 5Montana | $60,110 | $63,511 | 260 |
| 6Nebraska | $58,920 | $65,392 | 270 |
| 7Vermont | $58,890 | $60,118 | 160 |
| 8West Virginia | $58,760 | $65,656 | 160 |
| 9New York | $58,090 | $53,826 | 950 |
| 10Minnesota | $56,550 | $57,341 | 660 |
Job outlook
Is Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | −1.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders to change -1.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 400 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,300 openings are projected each year, 8.6% of the 26,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)61.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma19.4%
- Some College Courses17.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 61.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 19.4% |
| Some College Courses | 17.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.
Day-to-day tasks
- Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
- Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
- Clean work areas.
- Dislodge and clear jammed materials or other items from machinery and equipment, using hand tools.
- Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Inspect chains, belts, or scrolls for signs of wear.
- Record data from operations, testing, and production on specified forms.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Writing2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Active Learning2.8
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.9
- Operation and Control3.9
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Instructing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional4.6
- Investigative2.1
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
O*NET related occupations
- Production
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$46,550median a year
Most earn $36K to $63K
−10.8%High school - Production
Grinding and Polishing Worker, Hand
$42,660median a year
Most earn $33K to $61K
−19.2%No formal credential - Transportation and Material Moving
- Production
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$46,570median a year
Most earn $36K to $61K
−0.9%High school - Production
- Production
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$45,760median a year
Most earn $35K to $63K
+1.5%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender$48,540
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender | $48,540 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender appears on
Questions
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender: frequently asked questions
How much do Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,540 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 5% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.34/hr. The middle half earn between $40,430 and $60,040. The top 10% earn $69,240 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 61.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 400 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber. A core O*NET task: observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions. Employers most often ask for Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
The highest state medians for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are Wyoming ($71,300), Alaska ($68,730), Iowa ($62,590) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
O*NET scores Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.