Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-4194.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$50,060
Employment, U.S.5,600
Median hourly wage$24.07
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,350 | $40,800 | $50,060 | $62,150 | $77,170 |
By state (35)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 220 | $41,720 | 2.92 |
| Arkansas | 160 | $38,410 | 3.32 |
| California | 620 | $51,300 | 0.95 |
| Colorado | $33,970 | ||
| Connecticut | 130 | $39,710 | 2.14 |
| Florida | 120 | $36,880 | 0.34 |
| Georgia | 240 | $46,800 | 1.36 |
| Idaho | 100 | $59,250 | 3.39 |
| Indiana | 110 | $48,700 | 0.91 |
| Iowa | 60 | $51,760 | 1.08 |
| Kansas | $54,100 | ||
| Kentucky | 50 | $44,170 | 0.76 |
| Louisiana | 40 | $56,380 | 0.60 |
| Maine | 60 | $46,750 | 2.63 |
| Massachusetts | 40 | $56,600 | 0.29 |
| Michigan | 260 | $43,470 | 1.63 |
| Minnesota | 90 | $51,990 | 0.82 |
| Mississippi | 50 | $55,510 | 1.09 |
| Missouri | 150 | $52,540 | 1.39 |
| Montana | $49,560 | ||
| Nebraska | 40 | $47,360 | 1.14 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $46,380 | 1.68 |
| New Jersey | $49,470 | ||
| New York | 170 | $47,070 | 0.48 |
| North Carolina | 160 | $45,790 | 0.92 |
| Ohio | 190 | $56,690 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | 60 | $45,600 | 0.93 |
| Oregon | 430 | $60,760 | 6.13 |
| Pennsylvania | 170 | $39,550 | 0.78 |
| South Carolina | 80 | $50,220 | 0.96 |
| Tennessee | 200 | $36,920 | 1.67 |
| Texas | 530 | $46,000 | 1.04 |
| Virginia | 80 | $38,370 | 0.54 |
| Washington | 410 | $75,190 | 3.20 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $51,240 | 1.03 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | Critical Thinking | 0.87 | 0.962 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.944 |
| Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.942 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Quality Control Analysis | 1.00 | 0.939 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | Coordination | 1.00 | 0.938 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.937 |
| Rail Car Repairers | Repairing | 0.88 | 0.934 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | Quality Control Analysis | 0.87 | 0.932 |
| Printing Press Operators | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.932 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.931 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners, excluding software Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software | 6 of 20 | 30.8x |
| G-code | 4 of 20 | 26.4x |
| SAP software | 14 of 20 | 2.3x |
| EditCNC | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| M-code | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Delcam PowerMILL | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| CNC Mastercam | 3 of 20 | 17.3x |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | 9 of 20 | 2.4x |
| PTC Creo Parametric | 4 of 20 | 4.3x |
| Dassault Systemes CATIA | 3 of 20 | 2.3x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.38 | not rated |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (30) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 3.97 | 4.65 |
| Mechanical | 3.81 | 5.40 |
| Production and Processing | 3.59 | 4.32 |
| English Language | 3.29 | 3.64 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.19 | 3.90 |
| Education and Training | 3.03 | 3.73 |
| Design | 3.00 | 3.43 |
| Physics | 2.92 | 3.58 |
| Administration and Management | 2.45 | 2.46 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.14 | 2.47 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.11 | 2.11 |
| Administrative | 1.82 | 1.61 |
| Transportation | 1.82 | 1.53 |
| Chemistry | 1.76 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.65 | 1.80 |
| Computers and Electronics | 1.62 | 1.34 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.57 | 0.61 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.49 | not rated |
| Law and Government | 1.38 | 0.93 |
| Communications and Media | 1.36 | not rated |
| Telecommunications | 1.34 | not rated |
| Psychology | 1.33 | 0.85 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.30 | 0.93 |
| Foreign Language | 1.23 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.23 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.21 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.18 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.03 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.02 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.02 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 4.00 | 3.50 |
| Control Precision | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Visualization | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Rate Control | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reaction Time | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Depth Perception | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Far Vision | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Speech Clarity | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Speech Recognition | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Number Facility | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Written Expression | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Stamina | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Originality | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 1.38 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Sound Localization | 1.38 | 0.62 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.25 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- ANCA ToolRoom
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Vero Software Edgecam
- Zoller
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 150 | 7.00 | $43,470 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 220 | 4.94 | $60,760 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 170 | 2.21 | $102,390 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 100 | 2.02 | $61,550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 290 | 1.26 | $46,580 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 110 | 0.33 | $48,580 |