Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Salary
In North Carolina, tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners earn $45,790 at the median, or about $22.02 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $49,417 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $46K get you in North Carolina?
About tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 41.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $36K 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 North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool grinders, filers, and sharpener afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,997/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners?
North Carolina pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners make in North Carolina?
The median is $45,790 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,280, and experienced tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners can clear $69,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 41.9% 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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $49,417 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.