What is the salary of a Grinding and Polishing Worker, Hand?

The typical salary range is $29,182 - $58,365 per year.

Supply Chain & ProductionDeclining

Grinding and Polishing Worker, Hand

Operational-level

Also known as: Aircraft Skin Burnisher, Balance Wheel Arm Burnisher, Balance Wheel Hand Filer, Barrel Finisher

Supply Chain & ProductionBachelor's Degree

Job Description

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.

Material FinishingPrecision GrindingSurface FinishingMetalworkingManufacturingSkilled TradesIndustrial TechnologyEngineeringProductionEnergy

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies

Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

-19.2%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

700

per year (US)

Jobs today

10,800

in 2025 → 8,700 (2035)

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook.

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication

Low

Working in a team

High

Contact with others

High

Freedom to make decisions

High

Time pressure

High

Time spent sitting

Low

Working outdoors

Moderate

Indoor, climate-controlled

Moderate

Dealing with customers

Low

Level of competition

Low

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Declining Job Market

This field is experiencing contraction with decreasing job opportunities. Consider developing skills in related growing fields.

Impact of AI on this Job

AI and automation will increasingly impact this career. While some highly specialized or artistic finishing may remain manual, robots and advanced machinery equipped with AI vision systems could automate repetitive grinding and polishing tasks, improving precision and consistency. Workers may shift towards operating, programming, or maintaining these advanced systems rather than purely manual labor.

Salary

$42,660

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position