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

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $45,990 +1.8% vs national
Median hourly $22.11
10th percentile $37,030
90th percentile $56,260
Employed locally 130
National median $45,190

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

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Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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Hickory, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $37,030
    25th
    $40,370
    50th (median)
    $45,990
    75th
    $49,270
    90th
    $56,260

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 76% Median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 24% 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
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $48,140

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $38,670
    Upholsterers $59,400
    Sewing Machine Operators $46,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $63,280
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $41,340
    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $52,150

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory, NC is $22.11, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $26.24 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory 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 Hickory, NC is 1.8% 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 Hickory?

    Entry-level Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $37,030 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $40,370.