SOC 51-4194 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners — Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · 1 metro areas compared
In Seattle, WA the median wage for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners reaches $102,390 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -7.8%
- Openings per year
- 500
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Seattle, WA the median wage for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners reaches $102,390 a year. That is 104.5% more than the national median of $50,060. Pay ranges from under $64,500 at the tenth percentile to more than $115,380 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $69,390 to $108,720.
The area has 170 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.21 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Longview records the highest median at $61,820. Of the 693 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 201st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,500 | +28.8% |
| 25th | $69,390 | +38.6% |
| Median (50th) | $102,390 | +104.5% |
| 75th | $108,720 | +117.2% |
| 90th | $115,380 | +130.5% |
| Mean | $91,150 | +82.1% |
Other metro areas in Washington
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Longview | $61,820 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Seattle run 11.1% above the national average, so the median of $102,390 buys what $92,160 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 84.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$102,390as reported by BLSLocal price level
111.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$92,160US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $102,390 a year, 104.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $64,500 to $115,380 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 170 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Longview, at $61,820.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners in Seattle, WA?
The median annual wage is $102,390, or $49.23 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 $50,060, so pay in Seattle, WA is 104.5% 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 Seattle, WA earns more than $115,380 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $64,500 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 Longview, at $61,820 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 170 jobs in this occupation in Seattle, WA. 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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