Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

51-9022 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

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.

National estimates for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Industry profile for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Geographic profile for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

National estimates for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Employment (1)	Employment RSE (3)	Mean hourly wage	Mean annual wage (2)	Wage RSE (3)
14,190	3.8 %	$ 18.64	$ 38,770	0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$ 13.83	$ 15.35	$ 17.77	$ 20.84	$ 24.14
Annual Wage (2)	$ 28,760	$ 31,930	$ 36,960	$ 43,350	$ 50,210

Industry profile for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	1,480	0.51	$ 18.81	$ 39,120
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	1,390	0.34	$ 19.63	$ 40,830
Employment Services	1,080	0.03	$ 14.90	$ 30,990
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	880	0.26	$ 18.61	$ 38,700
Ship and Boat Building	730	0.50	$ 18.00	$ 37,430

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Foundries	600	0.57	$ 17.41	$ 36,210
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities	710	0.56	$ 18.58	$ 38,650
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	1,480	0.51	$ 18.81	$ 39,120
Ship and Boat Building	730	0.50	$ 18.00	$ 37,430
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	1,390	0.34	$ 19.63	$ 40,830

Top paying industries for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	580	0.12	$ 24.80	$ 51,580
Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers	(8)	(8)	$ 23.78	$ 49,460
Management of Companies and Enterprises	(8)	(8)	$ 23.33	$ 48,530
Building Finishing Contractors	320	0.04	$ 23.10	$ 48,040
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	150	0.04	$ 22.08	$ 45,920

Geographic profile for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Map of employment of grinding and polishing workers, hand by state, May 2022

States with the highest employment level in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
California	2,810	0.16	1.66	$ 19.22	$ 39,970
Texas	990	0.08	0.79	$ 18.75	$ 38,990
Ohio	790	0.15	1.53	$ 19.00	$ 39,530
Wisconsin	620	0.22	2.31	$ 18.52	$ 38,510
Georgia	590	0.13	1.33	$ 16.42	$ 34,140

Map of location quotient of grinding and polishing workers, hand by state, May 2022

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island	320	0.66	6.88	$ 20.36	$ 42,350
Vermont	70	0.24	2.49	$ 18.12	$ 37,690
Wisconsin	620	0.22	2.31	$ 18.52	$ 38,510
Oklahoma	320	0.20	2.10	$ 15.93	$ 33,140
New Mexico	140	0.17	1.82	$ 14.74	$ 30,650

Map of annual mean wages of grinding and polishing workers, hand by state, May 2022

Top paying states for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut	180	0.11	1.16	$ 23.91	$ 49,730
Maine	(8)	(8)	(8)	$ 22.66	$ 47,130
Maryland	150	0.06	0.60	$ 22.33	$ 46,440
Washington	(8)	(8)	(8)	$ 22.24	$ 46,250
Minnesota	140	0.05	0.51	$ 21.70	$ 45,140

Map of employment of grinding and polishing workers, hand by area, May 2022

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,360	0.22	2.32	$ 18.43	$ 38,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	670	0.07	0.76	$ 21.71	$ 45,160
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	350	0.16	1.64	$ 19.84	$ 41,280
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	340	0.60	6.26	$ 20.33	$ 42,280
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	290	0.10	1.00	$ 16.86	$ 35,080
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	290	0.18	1.84	$ 18.12	$ 37,690
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	250	0.17	1.76	$ 19.68	$ 40,930
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	250	0.07	0.68	$ 20.36	$ 42,350
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	250	0.24	2.50	$ 19.47	$ 40,500
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	230	0.10	1.02	$ 22.65	$ 47,120

Map of location quotient of grinding and polishing workers, hand by area, May 2022

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	340	0.60	6.26	$ 20.33	$ 42,280
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	80	0.51	5.30	$ 15.34	$ 31,900
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	50	0.38	3.95	$ 17.31	$ 36,000
Tulsa, OK	160	0.37	3.90	$ 16.13	$ 33,550
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	100	0.31	3.23	$ 18.92	$ 39,340
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	110	0.30	3.08	$ 22.03	$ 45,830
Reading, PA	50	0.29	3.04	$ 18.07	$ 37,590
Fort Wayne, IN	60	0.26	2.74	$ 17.67	$ 36,750
Madison, WI	100	0.25	2.64	$ 18.69	$ 38,860
Stockton-Lodi, CA	70	0.24	2.50	$ 18.15	$ 37,740

Map of annual mean wages of grinding and polishing workers, hand by area, May 2022

Top paying metropolitan areas for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Springfield, MA-CT	50	0.17	1.79	$ 27.11	$ 56,390
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	60	0.11	1.18	$ 24.52	$ 51,000
Portland-South Portland, ME	(8)	(8)	(8)	$ 22.77	$ 47,370
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	230	0.10	1.02	$ 22.65	$ 47,120
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	(8)	(8)	(8)	$ 22.46	$ 46,720
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	90	0.05	0.50	$ 22.32	$ 46,420
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	120	0.11	1.19	$ 22.09	$ 45,940
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	110	0.30	3.08	$ 22.03	$ 45,830
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	670	0.07	0.76	$ 21.71	$ 45,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	100	0.03	0.36	$ 21.31	$ 44,330

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area	100	0.46	4.82	$ 18.25	$ 37,960
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous)	80	0.24	2.47	$ 18.89	$ 39,300
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area	60	0.33	3.46	$ 18.81	$ 39,120
Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area	60	0.36	3.76	$ 16.91	$ 35,180
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area	50	0.28	2.92	$ 17.45	$ 36,300

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area	50	0.52	5.46	$ 16.43	$ 34,180
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area	100	0.46	4.82	$ 18.25	$ 37,960
Nevada nonmetropolitan area	40	0.41	4.24	$ 17.37	$ 36,140
Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area	60	0.36	3.76	$ 16.91	$ 35,180
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area	50	0.35	3.67	$ 19.12	$ 39,760

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area	50	0.19	1.95	$ 20.36	$ 42,360
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area	50	0.35	3.67	$ 19.12	$ 39,760
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous)	80	0.24	2.47	$ 18.89	$ 39,300
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area	60	0.33	3.46	$ 18.81	$ 39,120
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area	40	0.21	2.14	$ 18.76	$ 39,010

About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.

(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.

Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023