Also called: Grinding and Buffing Machine Tool Operators
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic build operation and control, operations monitoring and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (93%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 93% | $46,570 | 0% | None |
| 2 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | 91% | $43,380 | −7% | None |
| 3 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | 88% | $42,660 | −8% | None |
| 4 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 84% | $48,540 | +4% | None |
| 5 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | 83% | $42,770 | −8% | None |
| 6 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $45,760 | −2% | None |
| 7 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $50,270 | +8% | None |
| 8 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $38,760 | −17% | None |
| 9 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 83% | $50,690 | +9% | None |
| 10 | Power Plant Operators | 81% | $102,040 | +119% | None |
Compared with Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, median $46,550. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
93% skill match · $46,570 · 0% pay
Management of Material Resources · Quality Control Analysis · Management of Financial Resources
91% skill match · $43,380 · −7% pay
Installation · Equipment Selection · Operations Analysis
88% skill match · $42,660 · −8% pay
Repairing · Management of Material Resources · Equipment Maintenance
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (93% skill match, median $46,570), Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (91% skill match, median $43,380) and Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (88% skill match, median $42,660), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 13 pay more than grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at the median. The biggest increases: Power Plant Operators (+119%, $102,040), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+108%, $96,710) and Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (+66%, $77,320).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.