Metal finisher vs universal grinder operator

The differences between metal finishers and universal grinder operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a universal grinder operator has an average salary of $40,509, which is higher than the $34,760 average annual salary of a metal finisher.

The top three skills for a metal finisher include grinders, stainless steel and hand tools. The most important skills for a universal grinder operator are grinders, gannon, and water truck.

Metal finisher vs universal grinder operator overview

	Metal Finisher	Universal Grinder Operator
Yearly salary	$34,760	$40,509
Hourly rate	$16.71	$19.48
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	4,896	32,645
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

Metal finisher vs universal grinder operator salary

Metal finishers and universal grinder operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Metal Finisher	Universal Grinder Operator
Average salary	$34,760	$40,509
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $42,000	Between $29,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City	Oregon City, OR	-
Highest paying state	Oregon	-
Best paying company	MicroPort	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between metal finisher and universal grinder operator education

There are a few differences between a metal finisher and a universal grinder operator in terms of educational background:

	Metal Finisher	Universal Grinder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Metal finisher vs universal grinder operator demographics

Here are the differences between metal finishers' and universal grinder operators' demographics:

	Metal Finisher	Universal Grinder Operator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7%	Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between metal finisher and universal grinder operator duties and responsibilities

Metal finisher example responsibilities.

Train and instruct other polishers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
Prepare a variety of jigs and fabricate extremely ornate gates, railings, stairs, and fences.
Operate fork lifts, cutting torches and power tools to dismantle equipment to find and remove defective parts.
Concrete construction, bobcat operator, concrete finisher
Assist ICM with project management responsibilities and updating and editing documentation for ISO compliance.
Manufacture extruded aluminum evaporator coils, condenser coils, and other products for heat transfer applications.

Universal grinder operator example responsibilities.

Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Balance and set up various size rolls to G1, exceeding industry standards.

Metal finisher vs universal grinder operator skills

Common metal finisher skills

Grinders, 13%
Stainless Steel, 8%
Hand Tools, 8%
Dents, 7%
Detect Defects, 5%
Quality Checks, 4%

Common universal grinder operator skills

Grinders, 89%
Gannon, 6%
Water Truck, 5%

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Metal Finisher vs Universal Grinder Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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