Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 wage data.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 2014-2024 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2014-2024). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Abrasive Worker

Air Grinder

Aluminum Polisher

Automatic Grinder Operator

Axle Bearing Polisher

Axle Polisher

Balance Screwhead Polisher

Band Reamer Machine Operator

Band Saw Filer

Barrel Centerer

Barrel Polisher

Bearing Grinder

Bearingnizer

Belt Polisher

Bench Grinder

Bevel Face Stoner and Polisher

Bevel Polisher

Billet Grinder

Bit Grinder

Bit Sharpener

Bit Sharpener Operator

Blade Filer

Blade Grinder

Blade Groover

Blade Sharpener

Body Finisher

Bottom Polisher

Bottom Sander

Brass Buffer

Brass Burnisher

Brass Finisher

Brass Polisher

Broach Grinder

Brush Polisher

Buffer

Buffing Line Set Up Worker

Buffing Machine Operator

Buffing Machine Tender

Burnisher

Burnishing Machine Operator

Burr Bench Hand

Burr Bench Operator

Burr Filer

Burr Machine Operator

Burr Sander

Burrer

Burrer Operator

Burring Machine Operator

Burring Wheel Operator

Castings Trimmer

Cell Operator

Centerless Grinder

Centerless Grinder Operator

Centerless Grinder Set-Up Operator

Chrome Polisher

CNC Operator (Computer Numerically Controlled Operator)

Color Buffer

Computer Numerical Control Grinder (CNC Grinder)

Crankshaft Grinder

Cutlery Grinder

Cutter Grinder

Cylinder Grinder

Deburrer

Deburring and Tooling Machine Operator

Deburring Machine Operator

Dial Buffer

Die Maintenance Technician

Dinger

Disc Sander

Disk Grinder

Disk Sander

Disk Sharpener

Double Reamer Operator

Dresser

Drill Bit Sharpener

Drill Grinder

Drum Sander

Dry Sander

Edge Grinder

Edger

Edging Machine Operator

Emery Grinder

Emery Wheel Worker

Enamel Buffer

End Polisher

External Grinder

Eye Glass Frame Polisher

Eyeglass Frames Polisher

Faucet Polisher

Fender Finisher

Fiberglass Finisher

File Machine Operator

Filing Machine Operator

Finish Filer

Finish Grinder

Finish Opener

Finisher

Flat Polisher

Flute Grinder

Flute Polisher

Gear Finisher

Gear Grinder

Gear Lapper

Gear Lapping Machine Operator

Gold Wheel Blocker and Polisher

Gold-Nib Grinder

Grinder

Grinder Machine Setter

Grinder Operator

Grinder Set Up Operator

Grinder Set-Up Operator, Gear, Tool

Grinding Machine Operator

Grinding Machine Tender

Grinding Wheel Dresser

Grinding Wheel Facer

Grinding Wheel Operator

Hob Grinder

Honer

Honing Job Setter

Honing Machine Operator

Honing Machine Set-Up Operator

Inside Barrel Polisher

Internal Grinder

Jet Blade Polisher

Jewel Bearing Facer

Jewel Bearing Grinder

Jewel Bearing Polisher

Jig Grinder Set-Up Operator

Job Setter

Key Filer

Key Sander

Knife Blade Polisher

Knife Edger

Knife Glazer

Knife Grinder

Knife Sharpener

Lap Grinder

Lap Machine Tender

Lapper

Lapping Machine Operator

Lapping Machine Set-Up Operator

Lawn Mower Sharpener

Linter Saw Sharpener

Machine Burrer

Machine Finisher

Machine Grinder

Machine Operator

Machine Setter

Machine Tester

Machine Tool Dresser

Machinist

Magnetic Grinder Operator

Manufacturing Assistant

Manufacturing Associate

Manufacturing Operator

Metal Buffer

Metal Burnisher

Metal Burrer

Metal Dresser

Metal Filer

Metal Finisher

Metal Furniture Polisher

Metal Grinder

Metal Polisher

Mirror Finishing Machine Operator

Mold Cutting Machine Operator

Mold Sander

Needle Grinder

Nicking Machine Operator

Notch Grinder

Operator

Pallet Rectifier

Pattern Filer

Pinion Polisher

Pivot Maker

Plate Grinder

Platen Grinder

Polisher

Polisher and Buffer

Polisher Apprentice

Polishing Machine Operator

Pot Sander

Printing Roller Polisher

Process Equipment Operator

Production Honing Machine Operator

Production Lapping Machine Operator

Profile Grinder Technician

Rail Grinder

Razor Grinder

Razor Sharpener

Roll Grinder

Roll Grinder Operator

Sample Grinder

Sand Bobber

Sand Buffer

Sand Polisher

Sander Operator

Sanding Machine Operator or Tender

Satin Finisher

Saw Grinder

Saw Setter

Saw Sharpener

Scissors Grinder

Scissors Sharpener

Scratch Brusher

Scratch Finisher

Screw Machine Operator

Screwhead Polisher

Seater Grinder

Set-Up Person

Shear Grinder Operator

Shot Grinder Operator

Shot Polisher

Silver Buffer

Silverware Buffer

Silverware Buffing Machine Operator

Silverware Cleaner

Sizing Machine Operator

Smoother

Snag Grinder

Snagger

Snailer

Steel Buffer

Steel Grinder

Stone Polisher

Stove Polisher

Strip Deburrer

Surface Grinder

Swing Grinder

Tap Grinder

Thread Grinder

Thread Tool Grinder Set-Up Operator

Tool and Die Maker

Tool Dresser

Tool Grinder

Tool Honing Machine Set-Up Operator

Tool Polisher

Tool Polishing Machine Operator

Tooth Grinder

Tooth Polisher

Top Polisher

Track Grinder

Trimmer

Universal Grinder Operator

Valve Grinder

Watch Case Polisher

Watch Parts Grinder

Water Sander

Wet Sander

Wheel Buffer

Wheel Grinder

Wheel Polisher

Administration and Management

Clerical

Customer and Personal Service

Personnel and Human Resources

Production and Processing

Computers and Electronics

Engineering and Technology

Design

Mechanical

Mathematics

Physics

Chemistry

Psychology

Education and Training

English Language

Foreign Language

Public Safety and Security

Law and Government

Telecommunications

Transportation

Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as gauges or micrometers.

Lift and position workpieces, manually or with hoists, and secure them in hoppers or on machine tables, faceplates, or chucks, using clamps.

Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic workpieces.

Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems.

Set and adjust machine controls according to product specifications, using knowledge of machine operation.

Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices.

Select machine tooling to be used, using knowledge of machine and production requirements.

Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences.

Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools.

Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications.

Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings.

Brush or spray lubricating compounds on workpieces, or turn valve handles and direct flow of coolant against tools and workpieces.

Compute machine indexings and settings for specified dimensions and base reference points.

Slide spacers between buffs on spindles to set spacing.

Thread and hand-feed materials through machine cutters or abraders.

Adjust air cylinders and setting stops to set traverse lengths and feed arm strokes.

Repair or replace machine parts, using hand tools, or notify engineering personnel when corrective action is required.

Maintain stocks of machine parts and machining tools.

Angle grinders

Barrel finishing machines

Bench clamps

Bore gauges

Buffing machines

Chuck wrenches

Computer numerical control CNC grinding machines

Computerized microscopes

Coordinate measuring machines CMM

Cylinder grinders

Digital calipers

Digital comparators

Digital micrometers

Digital radius gauges

Electric overhead travelling EOT cranes

Gage blocks

Gage pins

Hand deburring tools

Inner diameter ID grinders

Limit gauges

Metal polishing machines

Metalworking surface plates

Outer diameter OD grinders

Pipe chamfering machines

Power hoists

Surface grinding machines

Universal grinding machines

Vernier calipers

Autodesk AutoCAD software

Manufacturing reporting system software

Mazak Mazatrol SMART CNC

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Windows

Oracle software

SAP software