Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
How to read this profile
BLS projects U.S. employment for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand to decrease by -19.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 10,800 to 8,700 jobs. Its estimate of 700 annual openings includes replacement needs, so it does not represent current vacancies, contract postings, or freelance demand. The wage ($42,660), education (No formal educational credential), and related experience (None) figures on this profile describe typical U.S. employees. O*NET skills describe the occupation; they do not assess an individual worker's proficiency.
Base employment (2024)
10,800
Projected employment (2034)
8,700
Projected change (2024–2034)
-19%
Annual openings (projected average)
700
Pay & Preparation
$42,660
No formal educational credential
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Essential Skills
Quality Control Analysis (3.38/5) • Operations Monitoring (3.25/5) • Operation and Control (3.12/5) • Equipment Maintenance (3.12/5) • Repairing (3/5) • Troubleshooting (2.88/5)
O*NET describes occupational requirements; these ratings do not measure current job-posting frequency or an individual worker’s proficiency.
BLS projections are long-term estimates; annual openings include growth and replacement needs and are not current vacancies.
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