Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
Median pay: $50,060/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: -7.8% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.
About 500 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.
• Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.
• Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.
• Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.
• Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.
• Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.
• Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.
• Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.
What's the median pay for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners?
The median pay for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners is $50,060 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners?
Employment for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners is projected to change -7.8% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.
What education is typically required for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners?
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
How many job openings are there each year for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners?
About 500 openings per year, on average, over the decade.