The median annual wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $45,140 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $47,420.
Pay spans roughly $36,920 at the 10th percentile to $61,780 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $21.70 per hour. An estimated 3,380 people work as grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $45,140 |
| Mean (annual) | $47,420 |
| Median (hourly) | $21.70 |
| 10th percentile | $36,920 |
| 90th percentile | $61,780 |
| Employment | 3,380 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.