Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary in the U.S.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn a median of $46,170 a year ($22.20 an hour), based on BLS data for 33,190 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,530 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $47,500, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,850 | $17.24 |
| 25th percentile | $39,280 | $18.88 |
| Median | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| 75th percentile | $53,000 | $25.48 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,530 | $29.58 |
| Average (mean) | $47,500 | $22.84 |
Half of molders, shapers, and casters, except 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 | $3,847.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,923.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,775.77 |
| Weekly | $887.88 |
| Hourly | $22.20 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | $57,860 | 150 |
| Hawaii | $55,990 | 40 |
| Oregon | $52,740 | 410 |
| Connecticut | $52,520 | 170 |
| Washington | $51,780 | 1,130 |
| New Hampshire | $51,470 | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $50,550 | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $50,360 | 110 |
| Colorado | $49,530 | 390 |
| California | $49,190 | 3,590 |
| Arizona | $49,060 | 470 |
| Vermont | $48,660 | 240 |
| Maine | $48,640 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $48,030 | 550 |
| Delaware | $47,940 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $47,610 | n/a |
| Kansas | $47,360 | 680 |
| New Jersey | $47,360 | 620 |
| Illinois | $47,180 | 1,230 |
| Georgia | $47,160 | 760 |
| New Mexico | $46,970 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $46,870 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $46,460 | 220 |
| Indiana | $46,400 | 1,520 |
| Missouri | $46,380 | 690 |
| Iowa | $46,220 | 340 |
| Nebraska | $46,220 | 240 |
| North Dakota | $46,170 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $46,110 | 550 |
| New York | $45,940 | 1,150 |
| Tennessee | $45,860 | 880 |
| Minnesota | $45,790 | 900 |
| Virginia | $45,410 | 720 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,310 | 1,690 |
| Michigan | $45,250 | 1,470 |
| Florida | $45,030 | 2,410 |
| Nevada | $45,020 | 430 |
| Ohio | $44,560 | 1,560 |
| Utah | $43,440 | 710 |
| West Virginia | $43,300 | 260 |
| Idaho | $42,620 | 210 |
| Kentucky | $41,590 | 370 |
| Texas | $40,010 | 2,550 |
| North Carolina | $38,190 | 550 |
| Mississippi | $37,580 | 210 |
| Wyoming | $37,510 | 80 |
| Alabama | $36,730 | 820 |
| Arkansas | $35,620 | 190 |
Best-paying metro areas for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $68,490 | 150 |
| Bozeman, MT | $61,010 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,130 | 130 |
| Modesto, CA | $59,990 | 70 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $59,320 | 40 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $58,570 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,300 | 400 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $56,770 | 660 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $56,320 | 80 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $56,110 | 100 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $55,530 | 500 |
| Worcester, MA | $54,920 | 220 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $54,500 | 50 |
| Bend, OR | $54,410 | 40 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $52,560 | 70 |
Metro areas with the most molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 970 | $47,640 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 790 | $42,490 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 750 | $45,410 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 720 | $46,650 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 660 | $56,770 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 590 | $47,370 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 570 | $45,480 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 570 | $46,480 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 520 | $45,790 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 500 | $55,530 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 490 | $37,510 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 480 | $46,110 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 410 | $45,090 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 400 | $47,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 400 | $57,300 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Semiconductor Processing Technician | $51,430 | $24.73 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9195. 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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The median salary for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in the U.S. is $46,170 a year, or $22.20 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,530 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in the U.S. earn at least $61,530 a year. The top 25% earn $53,000 or more.
What is the starting pay for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,850 a year, and a quarter of molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic earn $39,280 or less.
How many molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic work in the U.S.?
About 33,190 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.