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Skilled Trades

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

Median salary (BLS)

$48,540

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $69k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $36,520

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Established

    $48,540

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Senior

    $58,890

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
  • •Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • •Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
  • •Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
  • •Notify supervisors of needed repairs.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.