Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Durham, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Median annual salary $48,140 +6.5% vs national
Median hourly $23.15
10th percentile $34,980
90th percentile $61,470
Employed locally 30
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 Durham, NC 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
Durham, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $34,980
    25th
    $39,530
    50th (median)
    $48,140
    75th
    $58,760
    90th
    $61,470

    Durham economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $81,017 2023 • Census ACS
    Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 59% Median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 41% 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
    Asheville, NC $53,180
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $52,850
    Wilmington, NC $52,280
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,750
    Greensboro-High Point, NC $47,100

    Related occupations in Durham, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$42,040
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,770
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,930
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,740
    Production Workers, All Other$48,460
    Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$31,490

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Durham, NC is $23.15, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $29.55 or more per hour.

    Is Durham 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 Durham, NC is 6.5% 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 Durham?

    Entry-level Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $34,980 per year in Durham, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $39,530.