Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in the U.S.
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the U.S. earn a median of $48,540 a year ($23.34 an hour), based on BLS data for 26,000 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,520 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,240 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $51,380, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,520 | $17.56 |
| 25th percentile | $40,430 | $19.44 |
| Median | $48,540 | $23.34 |
| 75th percentile | $60,040 | $28.87 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $69,240 | $33.29 |
| Average (mean) | $51,380 | $24.70 |
Half of crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,045 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,022.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,866.92 |
| Weekly | $933.46 |
| Hourly | $23.34 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $48,540 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Oregon | $55,600 | 490 |
| Wisconsin | $54,580 | 530 |
| Maine | $54,080 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $53,130 | 200 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,560 | 980 |
| Alabama | $51,920 | 610 |
| Utah | $51,770 | 260 |
| Idaho | $51,500 | 370 |
| Indiana | $51,150 | 920 |
| New Hampshire | $50,360 | 130 |
| Arizona | $50,270 | n/a |
| Massachusetts | $50,110 | 370 |
| North Dakota | $49,280 | 310 |
| Missouri | $48,840 | 750 |
| Kansas | $48,570 | 470 |
| South Dakota | $48,330 | 120 |
| Illinois | $48,290 | 710 |
| Washington | $48,020 | 470 |
| Colorado | $46,950 | 520 |
| Florida | $46,950 | 520 |
| New Jersey | $46,690 | 560 |
| Michigan | $46,500 | 670 |
| North Carolina | $46,270 | 560 |
| Georgia | $45,920 | 800 |
| California | $45,870 | 2,370 |
| New Mexico | $45,760 | 170 |
| Virginia | $45,560 | 530 |
| South Carolina | $45,280 | 330 |
| Texas | $45,090 | 1,440 |
| Louisiana | $44,900 | 200 |
| Ohio | $43,850 | 1,590 |
| Tennessee | $42,950 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $42,520 | 200 |
| Maryland | $42,280 | 140 |
| Arkansas | $38,910 | 520 |
| Oklahoma | $38,380 | 390 |
| Mississippi | $37,420 | 170 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,340 | 100 |
Best-paying metro areas for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | $84,310 | 60 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $66,800 | 70 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $66,540 | 40 |
| Sandusky, OH | $65,240 | 30 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $64,670 | 340 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $64,190 | n/a |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $63,970 | 50 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $63,800 | 150 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $61,950 | 130 |
| Ogden, UT | $61,860 | 40 |
| Medford, OR | $61,830 | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $59,930 | n/a |
| Decatur, AL | $59,920 | 30 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,880 | 230 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $59,320 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 830 | $50,400 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 580 | $43,820 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 450 | $49,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 390 | $44,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 370 | $47,080 |
| Cleveland, OH | 370 | $39,670 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 360 | $40,850 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 340 | $64,670 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 340 | $46,530 |
| Knoxville, TN | 250 | $42,990 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 240 | $51,750 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 240 | $48,530 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 240 | $57,690 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 230 | $59,880 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 230 | $57,050 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median salary for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. is $48,540 a year, or $23.34 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,520 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,240 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. earn at least $69,240 a year. The top 25% earn $60,040 or more.
What is the starting pay for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,520 a year, and a quarter of crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $40,430 or less.
How many crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders work in the U.S.?
About 26,000 crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.