SalaryExplorer

SOC 51-4033 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHartford

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT · 4 metro areas compared

$50,130 /year
$24.10per hour
700jobs in area
+7.7%vs US median

At $50,130, median pay for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hartford, CT tracks the national median of $46,550 closely.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $46,55010TH$36,41025TH$42,170MEDIAN$50,13075TH$60,09090TH$65,200

Salary overview

At $50,130, median pay for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hartford, CT tracks the national median of $46,550 closely. Pay ranges from under $36,410 at the tenth percentile to more than $65,200 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $42,170 to $60,090.

Employment stands at 700, or 1.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Bridgeport records the highest median at $49,680. Of the 575 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 409th.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$36,410−21.8%
25th$42,170−9.4%
Median (50th)$50,130+7.7%
75th$60,090+29.1%
90th$65,200+40.1%
Mean$51,350+10.3%

Other metro areas in Connecticut

Median annual wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Bridgeport$49,680150
2New Haven$48,570200
3Norwich$46,40090
4Waterbury$41,050170

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Hartford run 3.6% above the national average, so the median of $50,130 buys what $48,388 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 3.9% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$50,130as reported by BLS

Local price level

103.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$48,388US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $50,130 a year, 7.7% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $36,410 to $65,200 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 700 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Bridgeport, at $49,680.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hartford, CT?

The median annual wage is $50,130, or $24.10 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $46,550, so pay in Hartford, CT is 7.7% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Hartford, CT earns more than $65,200 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $36,410 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Bridgeport, at $49,680 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 700 jobs in this occupation in Hartford, CT. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Hartford, CT (2025): $50,130 Median | Salary Explorer