Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisMonitoringTime ManagementSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay by experience level
Entry level$38,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$42,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$50,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$62,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$71,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-2.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,700
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by industry
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pays 5% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
The average base salary for a Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the United States is $53,000 per year, or about $25.48 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,000 and $62,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
