Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Salary
In Massachusetts, tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners earn $56,600 at the median, or about $27.21 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $56,549 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 63.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Massachusetts. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $57K get you in Massachusetts?
About tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 63% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool grinders, filers, and sharpener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 63% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,898/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Massachusetts?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $57K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners?
Massachusetts pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners make in Massachusetts?
The median is $56,600 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,300, and experienced tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners can clear $56,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,724/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 63% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary is worth about $56,549 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.