Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Also called: Aircraft Skin Burnisher, Balance Wheel Arm Burnisher, Balance Wheel Hand Filer, Barrel Finisher, Beveler, Bit Shaver, Buffer, Burrer
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects.
What grinding and polishing workers, hand do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
- Repair and maintain equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
- Select files or other abrasives, according to materials, sizes and shapes of workpieces, amount of stock to be removed, finishes specified, and steps in finishing processes.
- File grooved, contoured, and irregular surfaces of metal objects, such as metalworking dies and machine parts, to conform to templates, other parts, layouts, or blueprint specifications.
- Sharpen abrasive grinding tools, using machines and hand tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand salary
The median annual wage for grinding and polishing workers, hand is $42,660 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $33,480 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $60,810. The mean annual wage is $45,020.
The mean hourly wage of $21.00 is 2.9× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $42,660 → in 3 years $45,800 → in 5 years $47,900 → in 10 years $53,900 (10-year range $46,300–$62,600). The model assumes pay growth of +2.4% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become grinding and polishing workers, hand
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as grinding and polishing workers, hand
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.