Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $45,960 ≈ $22/hr
National median salary $44,350
Total employment 150,470 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -3.8%
Decline
Annual openings 15,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 154,600 → 148,800 (-5,800)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$77,490
- Maine$59,830
- Maryland$59,030
- Nevada$54,340
- Washington$52,690
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$40,620
- Alabama$41,250
- Tennessee$41,360
- New Mexico$41,670
- Florida$42,150
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $77,490 | $77,560 | $37 | +68.6% | 140 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,830 | $59,230 | $29 | +30.2% | 470 |
| 3 | Maryland | $59,030 | $63,460 | $28 | +28.4% | 230 |
| 4 | Nevada | $54,340 | $49,590 | $26 | +18.2% | 350 |
| 5 | Washington | $52,690 | $48,290 | $25 | +14.6% | 1,800 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $51,950 | $49,590 | $25 | +13% | 2,230 |
| 7 | Utah | $50,610 | $46,750 | $24 | +10.1% | 2,400 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $50,280 | $47,780 | $24 | +9.4% | 160 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $50,210 | $47,110 | $24 | +9.2% | 4,340 |
| 10 | Colorado | $50,170 | $48,200 | $24 | +9.2% | 2,160 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $49,120 | $46,240 | $24 | +6.9% | 1,100 |
| 12 | California | $49,020 | $47,240 | $24 | +6.7% | 9,250 |
| 13 | Oregon | $48,820 | $46,200 | $23 | +6.2% | 1,780 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $48,680 | $47,610 | $23 | +5.9% | 1,080 |
| 15 | Arizona | $48,160 | $46,930 | $23 | +4.8% | 1,430 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $47,740 | $48,500 | $23 | +3.9% | 1,000 |
| 17 | Vermont | $47,250 | $44,530 | $23 | +2.8% | 110 |
| 18 | Georgia | $47,230 | $43,250 | $23 | +2.8% | 2,060 |
| 19 | Iowa | $47,170 | $45,220 | $23 | +2.6% | 3,670 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $47,120 | $45,680 | $23 | +2.5% | 2,030 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $47,060 | $42,500 | $23 | +2.4% | 420 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $46,760 | $46,760 | $22 | +1.7% | 7,000 |
| 23 | Illinois | $46,710 | $45,500 | $22 | +1.6% | 10,680 |
| 24 | New York | $46,650 | $44,500 | $22 | +1.5% | 3,320 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $46,290 | $45,270 | $22 | +0.7% | 3,240 |
| 26 | Ohio | $46,060 | $44,830 | $22 | +0.2% | 11,050 |
| 27 | Indiana | $45,820 | $44,290 | $22 | -0.3% | 8,810 |
| 28 | Missouri | $45,780 | $44,120 | $22 | -0.4% | 3,340 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $45,310 | $44,230 | $22 | -1.4% | 8,590 |
| 30 | Delaware | $45,200 | $45,220 | $22 | -1.7% | 120 |
| 31 | Virginia | $45,120 | $45,370 | $22 | -1.8% | 1,680 |
| 32 | Montana | $45,020 | $43,340 | $22 | -2% | 110 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $44,750 | $42,570 | $22 | -2.6% | 3,810 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $44,410 | $44,790 | $21 | -3.4% | 2,520 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $44,000 | $42,020 | $21 | -4.3% | 430 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $43,880 | $41,630 | $21 | -4.5% | 7,570 |
| 37 | Texas | $43,860 | $41,140 | $21 | -4.6% | 7,460 |
| 38 | Michigan | $43,800 | $39,490 | $21 | -4.7% | 13,550 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $43,470 | $39,950 | $21 | -5.4% | 2,450 |
| 40 | Idaho | $43,110 | $42,690 | $21 | -6.2% | 520 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $43,020 | $38,160 | $21 | -6.4% | 60 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $42,930 | $39,730 | $21 | -6.6% | 550 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $42,670 | $40,750 | $21 | -7.2% | 840 |
| 44 | Kansas | $42,480 | $43,050 | $20 | -7.6% | 1,240 |
| 45 | Florida | $42,150 | $38,440 | $20 | -8.3% | 3,290 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $41,670 | $41,990 | $20 | -9.3% | 250 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $41,360 | $38,820 | $20 | -10% | 3,730 |
| 48 | Alabama | $41,250 | $39,010 | $20 | -10.2% | 5,900 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $40,620 | $38,650 | $20 | -11.6% | 90 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 303 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,560 | $77,490 | 140 |
| 2 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $74,650 | $77,380 | 180 |
| 3 | Saginaw, MI | $74,130 | $59,280 | 280 |
| 4 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $66,540 | $58,620 | 100 |
| 5 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $62,690 | $64,090 | 320 |
| 6 | Evansville, IN | $61,160 | $56,040 | 790 |
| 7 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $60,430 | $58,500 | 520 |
| 8 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $58,730 | $56,310 | 90 |
| 9 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $58,020 | $52,010 | 370 |
| 10 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $56,960 | $57,450 | 120 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,090 | $73,770 | 1,180 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,090 | $73,770 | 1,180 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $73,090 | $73,770 | 1,180 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $73,090 | $73,770 | 1,180 |
| 5 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $73,090 | $73,770 | 1,180 |
| 6 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $65,420 | $64,040 | 630 |
| 7 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $63,440 | $61,540 | 1,150 |
| 8 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $62,180 | $59,900 | 80 |
| 9 | Sectors 44 and 45 - Retail Trade | $61,470 | $56,480 | — |
| 10 | Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $59,070 | $57,220 | — |
| 11 | Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $59,070 | $57,220 | — |
| 12 | Sporting Goods Retailers | $59,070 | $57,220 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the United States is $44,350 per year (mean $45,960), and about 80% earn between $34,170 and $61,600.
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $45,960 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic at $77,490 per year (median $77,560).
What is the job outlook for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Employment is projected to change -3.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 15,900 openings per year.