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Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine operator: pay, outlook and how to start

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$48,540median pay per year, or $23.34 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,520lowest 10% earn less
  2. $40,43025th percentile
  3. $48,540median
  4. $60,04075th percentile
  5. $69,240top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setter, operator, or tender earned $48,540 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-1.7%[2]
Openings per year
2,300[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do crushing, grinding, and polishing machine operators make?

The median wage was $48,540 a year, or $23.34 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $51,380 a year, or $24.70 an hour[7]. The median annual wage for all occupations was $50,980, so this job's median is a bit lower[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,520 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $40,430[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $60,040, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $69,240[3]. Hourly, those boundaries were $17.56, $19.44, $28.87 and $33.29[8].

Group Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $36,520 $17.56
25th percentile[3][8] $40,430 $19.44
Median[1] $48,540 $23.34
75th percentile[3][8] $60,040 $28.87
90th percentile[3][8] $69,240 $33.29

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 26,000 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 47 states with published data, Wyoming had the highest median at $71,300 a year, followed by Alaska at $68,730 and Iowa at $62,590[12]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median at $37,420[12].

California had the most jobs with 2,370, followed by Ohio with 1,590, Texas with 1,440, Iowa with 1,420 and Tennessee with 1,290[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Cedar Rapids, IA had the highest median at $64,670. Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN came next at $63,800, then Omaha, NE-IA at $61,950[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ with 830, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA with 580[15].

Show median pay in 47 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Wyoming[12]$71,300170
Alaska$68,73060
Iowa$62,5901,420
Nevada$60,180660
Montana$60,110260
Nebraska$58,920270
Vermont$58,890160
West Virginia$58,760160
New York$58,090950
Minnesota$56,550660
Oregon$55,600490
Wisconsin$54,580530
Maine$54,080150
Connecticut$53,130200
Pennsylvania$52,560980
Alabama$51,920610
Utah$51,770260
Idaho$51,500370
Indiana$51,150920
New Hampshire$50,360130
Arizona$50,270n/a
Massachusetts$50,110370
North Dakota$49,280310
Missouri$48,840750
Kansas$48,570470
South Dakota$48,330120
Illinois$48,290710
Washington$48,020470
Colorado$46,950520
Florida$46,950520
New Jersey$46,690560
Michigan$46,500670
North Carolina$46,270560
Georgia$45,920800
California$45,8702,370
New Mexico$45,760170
Virginia$45,560530
South Carolina$45,280330
Texas$45,0901,440
Louisiana$44,900200
Ohio$43,8501,590
Tennessee$42,9501,290
Kentucky$42,520200
Maryland$42,280140
Arkansas$38,910520
Oklahoma$38,380390
Mississippi$37,420170

How to start in this job

The typical path has few formal requirements[6]:

In O*NET's Job Zone 1-2, some jobs need little or no previous experience, while others call for several months to a year of experience[16]. The facts do not say how long training takes or what it costs.

What these operators do

These workers set up, run, or tend machines that crush, grind or polish things like coal, glass, grain, stone, food and rubber[17]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as grinder operator, machine tender, miller and polisher[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,600 to 26,100 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. BLS lists productivity change as a factor: machines can do more and are better connected, so workers can produce more[21].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 2,300 openings a year, on average[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[22]. About 2.4% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[23].

Is it a good fit?

The job asks for a high school diploma, no related experience and on-the-job training[6]. The median pay is a little under the all-occupations median[1][4]. Employment is projected to dip while the average for all jobs grows[2][20]. Pay differs a lot by place, with Wyoming at $71,300 and Mississippi at $37,420[12]. Related machine jobs list medians from $41,220 to $50,060[24].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a machine operator in crushing, grinding and polishing make an hour?
The median wage was $23.34 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $24.70[1][7].
What education do you need for this job?
A high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is this job in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][20]. About 2,300 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for these operators?
Wyoming, with a median of $71,300 a year, followed by Alaska at $68,730[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US was $48,540 per year and $23.34 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,600 to 26,100 jobs (a change of -400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $36,520, 25th percentile $40,430, 75th percentile $60,040, 90th percentile $69,240. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,300 openings for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders was $51,380 per year and $24.70 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $17.56, 25th percentile $19.44, 75th percentile $28.87, 90th percentile $33.29. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 26,000 people were employed as Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: California 2,370; Ohio 1,590; Texas 1,440; Iowa 1,420; Tennessee 1,290. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Cedar Rapids, IA $64,670; Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $63,800; Omaha, NE-IA $61,950; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $59,880; Evansville, IN $59,290; Rochester, NY $59,130; Reno, NV $58,820; Boise City, ID $58,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 830 (median $50,400); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 580 (median $43,820); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 450 (median $49,860); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 390 (median $44,500); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 370 (median $47,080); Cleveland, OH 370 (median $39,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9021.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-9021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Beveler Operator, Cullet Trucker, Grinder, Grinder Operator, Machine Operator, Machine Tender, Miller, Polisher. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Productivity change - share decreases as machines are becoming capable of more functionalities and are more integrated with each other allowing workers to produce more. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections: 2.4% of Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.