The median annual wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $44,870 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $47,410.
Pay spans roughly $36,030 at the 10th percentile to $61,860 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $21.57 per hour. An estimated 500 people work as grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Median (annual) | $44,870 |
| Mean (annual) | $47,410 |
| Median (hourly) | $21.57 |
| 10th percentile | $36,030 |
| 90th percentile | $61,860 |
| Employment | 500 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.