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

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Raleigh-Cary, NC

Median annual salary $45,230 +0.1% vs national
Median hourly $21.75
10th percentile $33,960
90th percentile $55,640
Employed locally 100
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 Raleigh, 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
Raleigh, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,960
    25th
    $36,560
    50th (median)
    $45,230
    75th
    $49,800
    90th
    $55,640

    Raleigh economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $96,066 2023 • Census ACS
    Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 47% Median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 53% 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 Raleigh, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$38,640
    Production Workers, All Other$39,140
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$71,670
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$47,490
    Bakers$35,780
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,080

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Raleigh, NC is $21.75, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $26.75 or more per hour.

    Is Raleigh 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 Raleigh, NC is 0.1% 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 Raleigh?

    Entry-level Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $33,960 per year in Raleigh, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,560.