Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Salary
In Fort Smith, AR-OK, tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners earn $38,410 at the median, or about $18.47 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $44,720 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $937/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fort Smith
Pay for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners in Fort Smith runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $937/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tool grinders, filers, and sharpenerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $34K | $33K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $62K | $63K |
| St. Louis | $62K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $9K spread from bottom to top.
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $75K | +50% | 410 |
| Oregon | $61K | +21% | 430 |
| Idaho | $59K | +18% | 100 |
| Ohio | $57K | +13% | 190 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | +13% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $56K | +13% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $56K | +11% | 50 |
| Kansas | $54K | +8% | N/A |
| Missouri | $53K | +5% | 150 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +4% | 90 |
| Iowa | $52K | +3% | 60 |
| California | $51K | +2% | 620 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | +2% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $50K | +0% | 80 |
| Montana | $50K | -1% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $49K | -1% | N/A |
| Indiana | $49K | -3% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -5% | 40 |
| New York | $47K | -6% | 170 |
| Georgia | $47K | -7% | 240 |
| Maine | $47K | -7% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | -7% | 40 |
| Texas | $46K | -8% | 530 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -9% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -9% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -12% | 50 |
| Michigan | $43K | -13% | 260 |
| Alabama | $42K | -17% | 220 |
| Connecticut | $40K | -21% | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -21% | 170 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -23% | 160 |
| Virginia | $38K | -23% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -26% | 200 |
| Florida | $37K | -26% | 120 |
| Colorado | $34K | -32% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fort Smith numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a tool grinders, filers, and sharpener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,846/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tool grinders, filers, and sharpener a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $38K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners?
Fort Smith pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $38,410 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,760, and experienced tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners can clear $39,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,631/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 35.6% 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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary is worth about $44,720 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners 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.