SOC 51-4033 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Waterbury
Waterbury-Shelton, CT · 4 metro areas compared
The median wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Waterbury, CT is $41,050 per year, 11.8% below the national median of $46,550.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Waterbury, CT is $41,050 per year, 11.8% below the national median of $46,550. Pay ranges from under $35,040 at the tenth percentile to more than $59,400 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $37,960 to $50,610.
The area has 170 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.1 of every thousand jobs. Hartford leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $50,130. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 317th of 387 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,040 | −24.7% |
| 25th | $37,960 | −18.5% |
| Median (50th) | $41,050 | −11.8% |
| 75th | $50,610 | +8.7% |
| 90th | $59,400 | +27.6% |
| Mean | $45,220 | −2.9% |
Other metro areas in Connecticut
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hartford | $50,130 | 700 | |
| 2 | Bridgeport | $49,680 | 150 | |
| 3 | New Haven | $48,570 | 200 | |
| 4 | Norwich | $46,400 | 90 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Waterbury run 3.6% above the national average, so the median of $41,050 buys what $39,624 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 14.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$41,050as reported by BLSLocal price level
103.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$39,624US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $41,050 a year, 11.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,040 to $59,400 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 170 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Hartford, at $50,130.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Waterbury, CT?
The median annual wage is $41,050, or $19.74 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 Waterbury, CT is 11.8% lower. 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 Waterbury, CT earns more than $59,400 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,040 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 Hartford, at $50,130 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 170 jobs in this occupation in Waterbury, 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.
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