Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners Salary
In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners earn $44,050 at the median, or about $21.18 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $42,955 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 59.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Pay for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 60.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $49K | $43K |
| Cincinnati | $44K | $46K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $64K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $23K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool grinders, filers, and sharpener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 60.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,914/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 95% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $44K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $44,050 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,900, and experienced tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners can clear $54,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,007/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 60.2% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $42,955 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.