Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $44,350 | $21.32 |
| Mean (average) | $45,960 | $22.10 |
| 90th percentile | $61,600 | $29.62 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $39,010 | $29,010 | $58,810 | 5,900 | 2.88 |
| Arizona | $46,930 | $33,340 | $61,240 | 1,430 | 0.46 |
| Arkansas | $44,790 | $31,110 | $58,940 | 2,520 | 2 |
| California | $47,240 | $36,790 | $61,470 | 9,250 | 0.52 |
| Colorado | $48,200 | $41,670 | $59,220 | 2,160 | 0.78 |
| Connecticut | $46,240 | $36,120 | $67,040 | 1,100 | 0.67 |
| Delaware | $45,220 | $36,310 | $58,330 | 120 | 0.25 |
| Florida | $38,440 | $31,200 | $58,040 | 3,290 | 0.34 |
| Georgia | $43,250 | $35,030 | $66,980 | 2,060 | 0.44 |
| Hawaii | $77,560 | $55,950 | $96,350 | 140 | 0.23 |
| Idaho | $42,690 | $34,100 | $57,770 | 520 | 0.62 |
| Illinois | $45,500 | $36,090 | $61,950 | 10,680 | 1.81 |
| Indiana | $44,290 | $31,880 | $62,940 | 8,810 | 2.85 |
| Iowa | $45,220 | $35,650 | $66,280 | 3,670 | 2.43 |
| Kansas | $43,050 | $32,890 | $50,580 | 1,240 | 0.89 |
| Kentucky | $47,110 | $33,970 | $67,810 | 4,340 | 2.24 |
| Louisiana | $38,650 | $30,260 | $49,020 | 90 | 0.05 |
| Maine | $59,230 | $46,350 | $78,830 | 470 | 0.76 |
| Maryland | $63,460 | $36,630 | $73,060 | 230 | 0.09 |
| Massachusetts | $42,570 | $35,920 | $58,670 | 3,810 | 1.08 |
| Michigan | $39,490 | $34,630 | $59,770 | 13,550 | 3.18 |
| Minnesota | $49,590 | $37,060 | $79,200 | 2,230 | 0.78 |
| Mississippi | $39,730 | $31,250 | $57,350 | 550 | 0.49 |
| Missouri | $44,120 | $33,290 | $58,890 | 3,340 | 1.18 |
| Montana | $43,340 | $28,850 | $63,240 | 110 | 0.23 |
| Nebraska | $48,500 | $31,710 | $61,780 | 1,000 | 1 |
| Nevada | $49,590 | $35,490 | $79,960 | 350 | 0.24 |
| New Hampshire | $47,610 | $39,070 | $62,590 | 1,080 | 1.63 |
| New Jersey | $39,950 | $32,220 | $60,800 | 2,450 | 0.59 |
| New Mexico | $41,990 | $33,110 | $49,200 | 250 | 0.3 |
| New York | $44,500 | $35,560 | $63,120 | 3,320 | 0.35 |
| North Carolina | $41,630 | $31,370 | $59,170 | 7,570 | 1.58 |
| North Dakota | $47,780 | $40,590 | $62,260 | 160 | 0.39 |
| Ohio | $44,830 | $35,700 | $61,860 | 11,050 | 2.06 |
| Oklahoma | $45,680 | $31,890 | $62,480 | 2,030 | 1.23 |
| Oregon | $46,200 | $34,310 | $66,730 | 1,780 | 0.93 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,760 | $33,810 | $61,370 | 7,000 | 1.19 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,080 | $21,840 | $37,220 | 920 | 1.01 |
| Rhode Island | $42,020 | $31,200 | $60,760 | 430 | 0.89 |
| South Carolina | $45,270 | $34,670 | $62,150 | 3,240 | 1.45 |
| South Dakota | $40,750 | $34,420 | $54,850 | 840 | 1.89 |
| Tennessee | $38,820 | $30,750 | $57,450 | 3,730 | 1.18 |
| Texas | $41,140 | $29,780 | $59,540 | 7,460 | 0.55 |
| Utah | $46,750 | $37,570 | $72,970 | 2,400 | 1.43 |
| Vermont | $44,530 | $37,900 | $70,890 | 110 | 0.39 |
| Virginia | $45,370 | $29,360 | $64,090 | 1,680 | 0.42 |
| Washington | $48,290 | $38,880 | $70,000 | 1,800 | 0.52 |
| West Virginia | $42,500 | $33,790 | $62,230 | 420 | 0.62 |
| Wisconsin | $44,230 | $34,630 | $59,530 | 8,590 | 3.02 |
| Wyoming | $38,160 | $36,940 | $52,260 | 60 | 0.22 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 13,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
- Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
- Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
- Turn valves and dials of machines to regulate pressure, temperature, and speed and feed rates, and to set cycle times.
- Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as well as to plan production sequences.
- Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
- Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
- Remove parts, such as dies, from machines after production runs are finished.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- FANUC Robotics iRVision
- HotFlo! Die-Shot Monitor
- Intera Systems Hawk-i
- RobotWare DieCast
- Visi-Trak True-Trak 20/20
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Troubleshooting.
Common job titles: Core Machine Operator, Die Cast Technician, Diecast Machine Operator, Machine Operator, Mold Setter, Mold Technician, Molder, Process Technician, Production Technician.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make?
The national median annual wage for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic was $44,350 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $34,170 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $61,600. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a growing career?
BLS projects employment of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to change -3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 13,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Hawaii ($77,560), Maryland ($63,460), Maine ($59,230). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.