Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $44,350 a year ($21.32 an hour), based on BLS data for 150,470 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,600 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $45,960, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| 25th percentile | $37,270 | $17.92 |
| Median | $44,350 | $21.32 |
| 75th percentile | $51,020 | $24.53 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| Average (mean) | $45,960 | $22.10 |
Half of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,695.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,847.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,705.77 |
| Weekly | $852.88 |
| Hourly | $21.32 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $44,350 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,080 | 920 |
Best-paying metro areas for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,560 | 140 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $74,650 | 180 |
| Saginaw, MI | $74,130 | 280 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $66,540 | 100 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $62,690 | 320 |
| Evansville, IN | $61,160 | 790 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $60,430 | 520 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $58,730 | 90 |
| Peoria, IL | $56,720 | 330 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,130 | 210 |
| Columbia, SC | $55,670 | 230 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $55,550 | 170 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $55,410 | 970 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $55,400 | 190 |
| Mobile, AL | $55,350 | 190 |
Metro areas with the most molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 7,910 | $45,590 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 5,280 | $39,790 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,740 | $47,960 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 3,150 | $37,760 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,490 | $43,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,280 | $43,970 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 2,280 | $43,390 |
| Cleveland, OH | 2,090 | $44,860 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,040 | $45,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,910 | $45,570 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,880 | $49,020 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,780 | $45,650 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,690 | $43,940 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,640 | $44,370 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,610 | $39,310 |
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-4072. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. is $44,350 a year, or $21.32 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,600 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $61,600 a year. The top 25% earn $51,020 or more.
What is the starting pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,170 a year, and a quarter of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic earn $37,270 or less.
How many molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 150,470 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.