Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $40,600/year ($19.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $37,289 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 80.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Pay for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 80.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $47K | $45K |
| Richmond | $49K | $50K |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $38K | $40K |
| Lynchburg | $37K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $57K | +23% | 1,180 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +11% | 1,400 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | +9% | 2,420 |
| Vermont | $51K | +9% | 300 |
| West Virginia | $50K | +7% | 200 |
| Washington | $49K | +6% | 1,870 |
| New York | $49K | +6% | 2,410 |
| Kentucky | $49K | +6% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $49K | +4% | 1,530 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +4% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $48K | +3% | 1,730 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +3% | 1,610 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +2% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +2% | 3,830 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +2% | 3,570 |
| Indiana | $47K | +2% | 4,170 |
| Maine | $47K | +1% | 170 |
| Wyoming | $47K | +1% | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +0% | 600 |
| Iowa | $46K | -0% | 890 |
| Missouri | $46K | -1% | 1,210 |
| Illinois | $46K | -1% | 4,100 |
| Nevada | $46K | -1% | 170 |
| Colorado | $46K | -1% | 500 |
| Idaho | $46K | -1% | 170 |
| California | $46K | -1% | 7,800 |
| Georgia | $46K | -2% | 940 |
| Michigan | $45K | -2% | 4,180 |
| Ohio | $45K | -3% | 5,960 |
| Arizona | $45K | -3% | 670 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -4% | 1,340 |
| New Jersey | $44K | -5% | 860 |
| Delaware | $44K | -5% | 50 |
| Utah | $44K | -5% | 400 |
| Rhode Island | $44K | -6% | 140 |
| Maryland | $44K | -6% | 160 |
| Virginia | $43K | -7% | 620 |
| Kansas | $43K | -8% | 1,010 |
| Mississippi | $43K | -8% | 430 |
| Texas | $42K | -9% | 2,960 |
| Montana | $42K | -10% | 160 |
| Florida | $40K | -13% | 1,020 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -15% | 340 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -16% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -17% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -17% | 870 |
| Alabama | $38K | -18% | 1,500 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -18% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 80.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,140/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 105% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $41K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $40,600 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,670, and experienced grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $58,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,775/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 80.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $37,289 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.