Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Boulder, CO

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Boulder, CO

Median annual salary $47,020 +4% vs national
Median hourly $22.61
10th percentile $42,050
90th percentile $78,230
National median $45,190

Compare Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Boulder, CO stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
in
Boulder, CO
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $42,050
    25th
    $47,020
    50th (median)
    $47,020
    75th
    $60,680
    90th
    $78,230

    Boulder economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $102,772 2023 • Census ACS
    Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 46% Median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 54% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Missouri $58,920
    St. Louis, MO-IL $58,920
    Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $58,380
    Rochester, MN $55,990
    St. Cloud, MN $55,580
    Fort Smith, AR-OK $55,410

    Nearby metros — Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $55,280
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $52,850
    Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $51,360
    Pueblo, CO $50,940
    Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $50,330
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $49,470

    Related occupations in Boulder, CO

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,300
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $82,690
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $60,650
    Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers $50,630
    Food Batchmakers $42,340
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $42,400

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make per hour in Boulder?

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Boulder, CO is $22.61, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $37.61 or more per hour.

    Is Boulder above or below average for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries?

    The median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in Boulder, CO is 4% above the national median of $45,190. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Boulder?

    Entry-level Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $42,050 per year in Boulder, CO. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $47,020.