Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Western North Carolina

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area

Median annual salary $52,020 +15.1% vs national
Median hourly $25.01
10th percentile $31,230
90th percentile $58,850
Employed locally 180
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
Western North Carolina
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,230
    25th
    $45,240
    50th (median)
    $52,020
    75th
    $52,020
    90th
    $58,850

    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

    Related occupations in Western North Carolina

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $39,940
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $63,600
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $38,940
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $42,640
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $48,800
    Machinists $54,930

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Western North Carolina is $25.01, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $25.85 or more per hour.

    Is Western North Carolina 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 Western North Carolina is 15.1% 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 Western North Carolina?

    Entry-level Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $31,230 per year in Western North Carolina. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $45,240.