Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
SOC code 51-9021 · O*NET-SOC 51-9021.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$48,540
a year
Hourly
$23.34
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$51,380
$24.70 per hour
Middle 50%
$40,430 – $60,040
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$36,520 – $69,240
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
26,000
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $36,520
- $17.56/hr
- 25th percentile
- $40,430
- $19.44/hr
- Median percentile
- $48,540
- $23.34/hr
- 75th percentile
- $60,040
- $28.87/hr
- 90th percentile
- $69,240
- $33.29/hr
What do crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
- Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
- Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
- Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
- Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Test samples of materials or products to ensure compliance with specifications, using test equipment.
- Mark bins as to types of mixtures stored.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 62% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)62%
- Less than a High School Diploma19%
- Some College Courses18%
- Post-Secondary Certificate1%
Common questions
How much does a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn?
The national median is $48,540 a year. The full range runs from $36,520 at the 10th percentile to $69,240 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
Knowledge areas
- Administration and Management3.5/5
- Production and Processing3.4/5
- English Language3.2/5
- Education and Training3.2/5
- Public Safety and Security3.0/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Mechanical2.9/5
- Administrative2.6/5
Transferable strengths: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.