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Polisher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

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

$42,660median pay per year, or $20.51 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $33,480lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,45025th percentile
  3. $42,660median
  4. $49,98075th percentile
  5. $60,810top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

BLS tracks polisher jobs as Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand, and their median pay was $42,660 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 19.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-19.2%[2]
Openings per year
700[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do polishers make?

This page covers the BLS category Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand. The median pay was $42,660 a year, or $20.51 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $45,020 a year, or $21.64 an hour[7].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980, so the median here is lower[1][4].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $33,480 $16.09
25th[3][8] $37,450 $18.00
Median[1] $42,660 $20.51
75th[3][8] $49,980 $24.03
90th[3][8] $60,810 $29.23

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,480[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 10,510 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 40 states with published data, Vermont had the highest median at $56,850, based on about 50 jobs[12]. Minnesota followed at $51,930 and Rhode Island at $51,630[12]. New Mexico had the lowest median at $28,640[12].

California had the most jobs at 1,850[13]. Texas had 840, Michigan 650, Indiana 620 and Arizona 560[13]. California's median was $44,450[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk had the highest median at $65,540[14]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara followed at $51,680[14]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the most jobs at 880, with a median of $44,660[15].

Show median pay in 40 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Vermont[12]$56,85050
Minnesota$51,930120
Rhode Island$51,630130
Montana$50,460n/a
Virginia$48,830330
Connecticut$48,670230
Kansas$48,410100
Maryland$48,390n/a
New Hampshire$47,92040
New Jersey$47,840300
Wisconsin$47,790290
Delaware$47,78040
Missouri$47,360180
Washington$47,29090
Iowa$47,280n/a
New York$47,240440
South Carolina$45,710260
Nevada$45,31090
California$44,4501,850
Michigan$44,430650
Massachusetts$42,700170
Oregon$42,380160
Georgia$40,660220
Colorado$40,60070
Pennsylvania$40,510140
Ohio$40,310490
Mississippi$40,28030
West Virginia$39,870n/a
Florida$39,480510
Arkansas$38,960140
Indiana$38,810620
Oklahoma$38,340160
Arizona$38,280560
Texas$38,170840
North Carolina$37,600330
Illinois$36,59060
Alabama$35,620150
Tennessee$33,83080
Louisiana$33,16090
New Mexico$28,640120

How to become a polisher

The facts describe a short path:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, where preparation ranges from very little to some, and experience of several months to a year can be asked for in some occupations[16].

What polishers do

They grind, sand or polish metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic or glass objects with hand tools or hand-held power tools[17]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as Buffer, Finisher, Grinder, Jewelry Polisher and Metal Finisher[19]. In 2025, 2.5% of these workers were self-employed[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 19.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 10,800 to 8,700 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS names one factor: automation adds capacity and reduces the need for as many manual workers[22].

About 700 openings a year are still projected on average[5]. These openings are not only new jobs. They also come from workers who retire or move to other occupations[5]. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[23]. Related machine-operator jobs also show projected declines, for example -10.8% for grinding, lapping, polishing and buffing machine operators[24].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is low, since no formal credential or related experience is typically needed[6]. Pay is below the all-occupation median, though the top 10% earned $60,810 or more[1][4][3]. The outlook is the main caution, with a projected 19.2% decline[2].

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a polisher make an hour?
The median was $20.51 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $16.09 and the 90th was $29.23[8].
What education do you need to be a polisher?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement[6].
Is polisher a job in demand?
BLS projects a 19.2% decline from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][21]. About 700 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for polishers?
Vermont had the highest median at $56,850 in May 2025, based on about 50 jobs[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand in the US was $42,660 per year and $20.51 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand is projected to decline 19.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 10,800 to 8,700 jobs (a change of -2,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: 10th percentile $33,480, 25th percentile $37,450, 75th percentile $49,980, 90th percentile $60,810. 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 700 openings for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand 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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; 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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand was $45,020 per year and $21.64 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: 10th percentile $16.09, 25th percentile $18.00, 75th percentile $24.03, 90th percentile $29.23. 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 10,510 people were employed as Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand 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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand jobs: California 1,850; Texas 840; Michigan 650; Indiana 620; Arizona 560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (areas with at least 100 jobs): Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $65,540; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $51,680; Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $51,630; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,000; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,980; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $48,670; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $46,960; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 880 (median $44,660); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 490 (median $38,280); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 450 (median $51,000); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 280 (median $46,960); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 210 (median $38,920); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 200 (median $40,250). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9022.00: 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 Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-9022.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Buffer, Casting Finisher, Chipper, Finisher, Grinder, Jewelry Polisher, Knife Grinder, Metal Finisher. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 2.5% of Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as automation increases capacity and reduces the need for as many manual workers. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. 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.