Production · Holland code RC
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.
Also called: Chipper, Finisher, Grinder, Polisher, Buffer, Casting Finisher, Jewelry Polisher, Knife Grinder.
O*NET 51-9022.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $42,660
- Middle half earn $37,450 to $49,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 37% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
- Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
- Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
- Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
- Mark defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.
- Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
- Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
- Remove completed workpieces from equipment or work tables, using hand tools, and place workpieces in containers.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening2.9 / 5
- Speaking2.9 / 5
- Critical Thinking2.9 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.8 / 5
- Monitoring2.8 / 5
- Writing2.4 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing3.6 / 5
- Mechanical3.6 / 5
- English Language3.1 / 5
- Mathematics2.8 / 5
- Education and Training2.7 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service2.6 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative9
- Artistic17
- Social1
- Enterprising0
- Conventional38
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- grinding machine operator · DE CNC-Schleifer/CNC-Schleiferin · FR rectifieur/rectifieuse
- metal polisher · DE Metallpolierer/Metallpoliererin · FR polisseur de métaux/polisseuse de métaux
- tool grinder · DE Werkzeugschleifer/Werkzeugschleiferin · FR affûteur d’outils/affûteuse d’outils
- jewellery polisher · DE Feinpolierer/Feinpoliererin · FR polisseur de bijou/polisseuse de bijou
- wood sander · DE Holzschleifer/Holzschleiferin · FR sableur de bois/sableuse de bois
- stone polisher · DE Steinschleifer/Steinschleiferin · FR polisseur de pierre/polisseuse de pierre
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Metal machining setters and setter-operators (5221)40,400 employed
- Metal working machine operatives (8120)28,100 employed
- Process operatives n.e.c. (8119)26,300 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €40,086 |
| Germany | €38,638 |
| Austria | €38,194 |
| Sweden | €37,856 |
| Netherlands | €37,077 |
| Ireland | €36,098 |
| France | €27,145 |
| Italy | €26,488 |
| Spain | €22,817 |
| Portugal | €11,142 |
| Poland | €10,099 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.15. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9022).
Related careers
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Is it a fit for you?
Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.
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