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Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 51-9021 |
| title | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
| onet code | 51-9021.00 |
| description | Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 28,550 |
| a mean | 49,400 |
| a median | 46,890 |
| a pct10 | 35,380 |
| a pct25 | 38,990 |
| a pct75 | 58,440 |
| a pct90 | 65,980 |
| h mean | 23 |
| h median | 22 |
The day-to-day work of a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically centers on observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.20 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (61.7%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Wyoming at $76,350 and lowest in Mississippi at $35,780 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (Wyoming, Alaska, Nevada, Iowa, Minnesota) average $65,048. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $76,350 | $79,980 | $51,370 | $110,440 | 120 |
| Alaska | $66,570 | $65,170 | $41,410 | $84,140 | 110 |
| Nevada | $63,960 | $64,750 | $45,750 | $88,680 | 370 |
| Iowa | $60,210 | $56,280 | $43,430 | $62,650 | 1,970 |
| Minnesota | $58,150 | $61,240 | $46,860 | $81,770 | 580 |
| West Virginia | $54,310 | $53,420 | $37,050 | $66,260 | 240 |
| Vermont | $53,760 | $57,260 | $42,990 | $73,520 | 230 |
| New York | $53,330 | $56,750 | $39,780 | $78,490 | 1,050 |
| Maine | $52,880 | $57,350 | $38,710 | $82,420 | 200 |
| Connecticut | $52,860 | $50,310 | $32,860 | $61,230 | 340 |
| Nebraska | $52,620 | $55,400 | $46,720 | $64,110 | 490 |
| Illinois | $51,860 | $54,540 | $40,030 | $71,510 | 340 |
| New Jersey | $50,820 | $52,440 | $33,690 | $67,410 | 490 |
| Utah | $50,440 | $55,510 | $39,210 | $81,430 | 250 |
| Washington | $49,920 | $56,980 | $40,810 | $83,710 | 500 |
| Oregon | $49,820 | $53,260 | $38,530 | $75,470 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $49,710 | $51,850 | $41,870 | $63,210 | 480 |
| Indiana | $49,290 | $52,900 | $36,800 | $71,220 | 1,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,050 | $50,110 | $38,630 | $61,560 | 1,120 |
| New Hampshire | $48,780 | $49,830 | $39,110 | $64,280 | 100 |
| Idaho | $48,660 | $51,520 | $38,710 | $64,510 | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $48,630 | $51,040 | $40,090 | $63,450 | 730 |
| South Dakota | $48,320 | $50,010 | $31,290 | $69,470 | 90 |
| Missouri | $48,090 | $48,700 | $29,720 | $65,610 | 710 |
| Arizona | $48,040 | $48,570 | $38,910 | $54,650 | — |
| North Dakota | $47,900 | $52,120 | $36,340 | $71,610 | 250 |
| Kentucky | $46,940 | $44,930 | $31,060 | $57,160 | 210 |
| Michigan | $46,760 | $49,520 | $36,560 | $64,020 | 880 |
| Montana | $46,490 | $49,520 | $32,330 | $63,970 | 300 |
| Kansas | $46,320 | $50,860 | $35,320 | $69,680 | 420 |
| California | $45,950 | $50,380 | $36,200 | $72,140 | 2,510 |
| Colorado | $45,930 | $48,060 | $38,450 | $62,500 | 850 |
| Louisiana | $45,460 | $46,360 | $31,490 | $59,890 | 260 |
| Florida | $44,370 | $47,560 | $33,320 | $65,150 | 620 |
| Virginia | $43,680 | $45,240 | $33,660 | $59,640 | 640 |
| North Carolina | $43,380 | $45,650 | $34,610 | $59,940 | 700 |
| New Mexico | $43,240 | $47,040 | $36,560 | $58,030 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $41,600 | $43,880 | $35,840 | $57,250 | 1,460 |
| Oklahoma | $39,660 | $42,540 | $30,330 | $63,080 | 400 |
| Ohio | $39,570 | $43,040 | $35,570 | $56,960 | 1,300 |
| Maryland | $39,250 | $42,190 | $34,550 | $54,110 | 190 |
| Texas | $38,580 | $41,440 | $28,920 | $57,760 | 1,400 |
| Georgia | $38,560 | $41,380 | $33,950 | $50,010 | 970 |
| Arkansas | $37,690 | $38,260 | $29,120 | $46,380 | 640 |
| South Carolina | $37,400 | $41,180 | $31,450 | $56,250 | 440 |
| Alabama | $35,920 | $38,790 | $21,500 | $55,580 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $35,780 | $36,790 | $27,390 | $45,220 | 250 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Abrasive Grinder or Air Bag Buffer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.