Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners earn a median of $50,060 per year ($24.07/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 6.8% through 2035, with about 500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-4194
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener in four numbers
- Median pay
- $50,060a year, or $24.07/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $77K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -6.8%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−6.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −6.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5005,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20255.8K
- Projected 20355.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 5.8K Projected 2035 5.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Crankshaft Grinder, Cutter Grind Tool Technician (Cutter Grind Tool Tech), Cutter Grinder, Grinder, Grinder Operator, OD Grinder Operator (Outer Diameter Grinder Operator).
Pay
How much do Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners make?
Every tool grinder, filer, and sharpener in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$50,060
Middle half earn $40,800 to $62,150
- 10th
- $35,350
- 25th
- $40,800
- 75th
- $62,150
- 90th
- $77,170
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,350 |
| 25th | $40,800 |
| Median | $50,060 |
| 75th | $62,150 |
| 90th | $77,170 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $50,060
- Median hourly wage
- $24.07/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,240
- People employed
- 5,600
Versus all US occupations
At $50,060, the median for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 4% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,170 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,350, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 21% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $75,190, and still leads at $70,262 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $75,190 | $70,262 | 410 |
| 2Oregon | $60,760 | $58,784 | 430 |
| 3Idaho | $59,250 | $62,046 | 100 |
| 4Ohio | $56,690 | $61,105 | 190 |
| 5Massachusetts | $56,600 | $53,519 | 40 |
| 6Louisiana | $56,380 | $63,918 | 40 |
| 7Mississippi | $55,510 | $63,839 | 50 |
| 8Kansas | $54,100 | $60,066 | N/A |
| 9Missouri | $52,540 | $57,853 | 150 |
| 10Minnesota | $51,990 | $52,717 | 90 |
Job outlook
Is Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -6.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | −6.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners to change -6.8% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 400 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 500 openings are projected each year, 8.6% of the 5,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener
- 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.
The work
What does a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener do?
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
Day-to-day tasks
- Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.
- Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
- Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.
- Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.
- Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.
- Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.
- Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.
- Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes.
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 dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantLong stretches of independent work with little contact.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
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
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Listening2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Mathematics2.8
- Active Learning2.5
- Writing2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
| Writing | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Equipment Selection3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD and computer aided manufacturing CAM system
- Data base user interface and query software
- 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 Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
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.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.2
- Investigative2.0
- Artistic1.3
- Social1.0
- Enterprising1.0
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 Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener
O*NET related occupations
- Production
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$46,550median a year
Most earn $36K to $63K
−10.8%High school - Production
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$42,660median a year
Most earn $33K to $61K
−19.2%No formal credential - Production
Milling and Planing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$52,800median a year
Most earn $38K to $81K
−13.2%High school - Production
Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Except Sawing
$43,380median a year
Most earn $32K to $57K
−2.5%High school - Production
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$50,620median a year
Most earn $37K to $70K
−11.3%High school - Production
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$46,570median a year
Most earn $36K to $61K
−0.9%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners 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
- Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener$50,060
- 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 |
| Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener | $50,060 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener appears on
Questions
Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener: frequently asked questions
How much do Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners make?
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners earn a median of $50,060 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $24.07/hr. The middle half earn between $40,800 and $62,150. The top 10% earn $77,170 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 6.8% over 2025–2035, a loss of 400 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener do?
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects. A core O*NET task: perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts. Employers most often ask for Computer aided manufacturing CAM software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners the most?
The highest state medians for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners are Washington ($75,190), Oregon ($60,760), Idaho ($59,250) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Tool Grinder, Filer, and Sharpener?
O*NET scores Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners 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.