Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners build operation and control, operations monitoring and troubleshooting 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 Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (89%).
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 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | 89% | $43,380 | −13% | None |
| 2 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | 87% | $42,660 | −15% | None |
| 3 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 86% | $46,570 | −7% | None |
| 4 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 82% | $48,540 | −3% | None |
| 5 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 82% | $50,270 | 0% | None |
| 6 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 81% | $50,690 | +1% | None |
| 7 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 80% | $53,710 | +7% | None |
| 8 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 79% | $64,520 | +29% | Certificate or associate |
| 9 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 79% | $46,350 | −7% | None |
| 10 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 79% | $45,760 | −9% | None |
Compared with Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners, median $50,060. 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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners (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.
89% skill match · $43,380 · −13% pay
Installation · Programming · Management of Financial Resources
87% skill match · $42,660 · −15% pay
Coordination · Management of Financial Resources · Quality Control Analysis
86% skill match · $46,570 · −7% pay
Coordination · Programming · Management of Financial Resources
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (89% skill match, median $43,380), Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (87% skill match, median $42,660) and Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (86% skill match, median $46,570), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 12 pay more than tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners at the median. The biggest increases: Power Plant Operators (+104%, $102,040), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+93%, $96,710) and Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (+54%, $77,320).
24 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.