Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
SOC 51-4072BLS OEWS May 2025
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
National median · BLS
$44,350
▲ +7.57%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$45,960
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
150,470
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$34,170
25th
$37,270
Median (50th)
$44,350
75th
$51,020
90th — top pay
$61,600
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
BLS projects employment of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic to decline 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 13,800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
150,000 → 144,900
-5,200 jobs
Projected change
-3.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
13,800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operations Monitoring3.4
Active Listening3.3
Monitoring3.1
Operation and Control3.1
Reading Comprehension3.1
Critical Thinking3.0
Quality Control Analysis3.0
Speaking3.0
Time Management3.0
Active Learning2.9
Top knowledge areas
Production and Processing3.5
Mechanical3.5
Mathematics3.1
English Language2.9
Administration and Management2.5
Physics2.5
Computers and Electronics2.4
Engineering and Technology2.4
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordSAP softwareFANUC Robotics iRVisionHotFlo! Die-Shot MonitorIntera Systems Hawk-iRobotWare DieCastVisi-Trak True-Trak 20/20
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $44,350.
