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Maintenance machinist vs grinder

The differences between maintenance machinists and grinders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a maintenance machinist and a grinder. Additionally, a maintenance machinist has an average salary of $52,077, which is higher than the $33,001 average annual salary of a grinder.

The top three skills for a maintenance machinist include CNC, grinders and hand tools. The most important skills for a grinder are grinders, hand tools, and calipers.

Maintenance machinist vs grinder overview

Maintenance MachinistGrinder
Yearly salary$52,077$33,001
Hourly rate$25.04$15.87
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs83,0423,409
Job satisfaction54
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%High School Diploma, 58%
Average age4848
Years of experience44

What does a maintenance machinist do?

A Maintenance Machinist is responsible for implementing and maintaining industrial machinery. Their primary duties include investigating and diagnosing equipment failures and performing corrective actions.

What does a grinder do?

Depending on the industry, a grinder has a diverse range of duties. Typically, they oversee setting up and operating bearing grinders, cam grinders, and CNC lathes. A grinder must meet with the manufacturer's specifications by making use of shop drawings. Additionally, they may be tasked with repairing any mechanical breakdowns on the machines.

Maintenance machinist vs grinder salary

Maintenance machinists and grinders have different pay scales, as shown below.

Maintenance MachinistGrinder
Average salary$52,077$33,001
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $74,000Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying CityKent, WATualatin, OR
Highest paying stateWashingtonNew Mexico
Best paying companyCity of SeattleKennametal
Best paying industryTechnologyAutomotive

Differences between maintenance machinist and grinder education

There are a few differences between a maintenance machinist and a grinder in terms of educational background:

Maintenance MachinistGrinder
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%High School Diploma, 58%
Most common majorPrecision Metal WorkingPrecision Metal Working
Most common college--

Maintenance machinist vs grinder demographics

Here are the differences between maintenance machinists' and grinders' demographics:

Maintenance MachinistGrinder
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 94.0% Female, 6.0%Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 70.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 70.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between maintenance machinist and grinder duties and responsibilities

Maintenance machinist example responsibilities.

  • Manage and perform programming of CNC mills, lathes and EDM equipment, instrumentation, data acquisition and control systems.
  • Set up and operate machine tools, mills, lathes, radial drills, vertical turret lathe, and surface grinders.
  • Certify with, and task with training others in, SolidWorks and CamWorks.
  • Set up and run lathes, mills, I.D.
  • Program, set-up, and run HAAS VF-3 milling center.
  • Used various micrometers for measuring.
  • Show more

Grinder example responsibilities.

  • Machine carbide, harden tool steel, harden stainless steel, and ceramic.
  • Verify dimensional compliance using micrometers, calipers, ultrasonic testing and similar types of dimensional inspection devices.
  • Set up and run O.D.
  • Support for lathes and EDM (i.e.
  • Grind drills, end mills, taps etc.
  • Set up and run surface grinder at 200 to 300/ hour.
  • Show more

Maintenance machinist vs grinder skills

Common maintenance machinist skills
  • CNC, 11%
  • Grinders, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Calipers, 6%
  • Manual Lathes, 5%
  • Machine Tools, 4%
Common grinder skills
  • Grinders, 20%
  • Hand Tools, 12%
  • Calipers, 8%
  • Grinding Machines, 7%
  • Grinding Wheels, 7%
  • CNC, 6%

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