How much does a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the United States earns $44,350 per year, about $21.32 an hour. That is the midpoint of the profession: half of all molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more, and half earn less.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. SOC code 51-4072.
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary range
Pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic spans a wide band. The lowest paid 10 percent earn under $34,170 a year, while the highest paid 10 percent take home more than $61,600. The average (mean) wage of $45,960 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,170 | $16.43 | Lowest paid |
| 25th percentile | $37,270 | $17.92 | |
| Median (50th) | $44,350 | $21.32 | Midpoint |
| 75th percentile | $51,020 | $24.53 | |
| 90th percentile | $61,600 | $29.62 | Highest paid |
Figures are national wage estimates for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (SOC 51-4072), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary by state
Where you work changes the paycheck. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn the most in Hawaii at $77,560 a year, and the least in Wyoming at $38,160. The table below lists every state with published data, ranked by median annual salary.
| State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $77,560 | 140 |
| Maryland | $63,460 | 230 |
| Maine | $59,230 | 470 |
| Minnesota | $49,590 | 2,230 |
| Nevada | $49,590 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $48,500 | 1,000 |
| Washington | $48,290 | 1,800 |
| Colorado | $48,200 | 2,160 |
| North Dakota | $47,780 | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $47,610 | 1,080 |
| California | $47,240 | 9,250 |
| Kentucky | $47,110 | 4,340 |
| Arizona | $46,930 | 1,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,760 | 7,000 |
| Utah | $46,750 | 2,400 |
| Connecticut | $46,240 | 1,100 |
| Oregon | $46,200 | 1,780 |
| Oklahoma | $45,680 | 2,030 |
| Illinois | $45,500 | 10,680 |
| Virginia | $45,370 | 1,680 |
| South Carolina | $45,270 | 3,240 |
| Delaware | $45,220 | 120 |
| Iowa | $45,220 | 3,670 |
| Ohio | $44,830 | 11,050 |
| Arkansas | $44,790 | 2,520 |
| Vermont | $44,530 | 110 |
| New York | $44,500 | 3,320 |
| Indiana | $44,290 | 8,810 |
| Wisconsin | $44,230 | 8,590 |
| Missouri | $44,120 | 3,340 |
| Montana | $43,340 | 110 |
| Georgia | $43,250 | 2,060 |
| Kansas | $43,050 | 1,240 |
| Idaho | $42,690 | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $42,570 | 3,810 |
| West Virginia | $42,500 | 420 |
| Rhode Island | $42,020 | 430 |
| New Mexico | $41,990 | 250 |
| North Carolina | $41,630 | 7,570 |
| Texas | $41,140 | 7,460 |
| South Dakota | $40,750 | 840 |
| New Jersey | $39,950 | 2,450 |
| Mississippi | $39,730 | 550 |
| Michigan | $39,490 | 13,550 |
| Alabama | $39,010 | 5,900 |
| Tennessee | $38,820 | 3,730 |
| Louisiana | $38,650 | 90 |
| Florida | $38,440 | 3,290 |
| Wyoming | $38,160 | 60 |
State median wages for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (SOC 51-4072), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state files, May 2025. States where the BLS does not publish a median are not shown.
Job outlook for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
The BLS projects employment of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to shrink from 2025 to 2035 (down 3.4%). That is a decline, against 3.5% average growth for all occupations. That works out to roughly 150,000 jobs in 2025 moving toward 144,900 by 2035.
Across the decade, the BLS expects about 13,800 openings a year for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic. Most come from the need to replace workers who move to other jobs or leave the workforce, on top of any new positions from growth.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025-35 (Table 1.2, Occupational projections and worker characteristics).
How to become a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
The typical entry-level education for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is a high school diploma or equivalent, according to the BLS. New hires typically complete moderate-term on-the-job training to reach full competency.
A four-year college degree is usually not required to start, which makes this one of the jobs you can enter without a bachelor's degree. See more high paying jobs without a degree .
Education, training, and experience data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.
What affects how much a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earns
Industry, shift, certifications, and region drive pay, along with overtime. Skilled operators and workers in unionized plants sit near the top of the range.
Location is one of the clearest factors. The gap between the top paying state (Hawaii, $77,560) and the lowest (Wyoming, $38,160) shows how much geography alone can move the number, before experience or specialization.
About 150,470 people work as molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the United States. At $44,350 a year, the job pays below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary FAQ
How much does a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is $21.32. The middle half of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn between $17.92 and $24.53 per hour.
What is the highest molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary?
The highest paid 10 percent of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more than $61,600 per year. Top earners usually have the most experience and work in the best paying regions and industries.
How much does a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make a year?
The median annual salary for a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is $44,350. The average (mean) wage of $45,960 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
Is being a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a well paid job?
At $44,350 a year, a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earns below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs. About 150,470 people work as molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the United States.
Which state pays molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
Hawaii has the highest median salary for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at $77,560 a year. Maryland ($63,460) and Maine ($59,230) follow. State medians come from the BLS OEWS state files, May 2025.
Is being a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a good career?
Employment of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic is projected to shrink 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, a decline, against 3.5% average growth for all occupations. The BLS projects about 13,800 openings each year, from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Do you need a degree to become a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
No. The BLS lists the typical entry-level education for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic as a high school diploma or equivalent, so a four-year degree is usually not required to start.
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