Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Santa Cruz, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Median annual salary $44,490 -1.5% vs national
Median hourly $21.39
10th percentile $40,030
90th percentile $58,870
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

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Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
in
Santa Cruz, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $40,030
    25th
    $40,030
    50th (median)
    $44,490
    75th
    $47,500
    90th
    $58,870

    Santa Cruz economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $109,266 2023 • Census ACS
    Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 41% Median Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 59% 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
    Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $52,020
    Utica-Rome, NY $50,290
    Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $49,630
    Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $49,590
    Bakersfield-Delano, CA $49,420
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $49,120

    Related occupations in Santa Cruz, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $45,660
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $41,750
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $70,680
    Bakers $38,330
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $50,570
    Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers $48,830

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Santa Cruz, CA is $21.39, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $28.31 or more per hour.

    Is Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz, CA is 1.5% below 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 Santa Cruz?

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