Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 51-4061

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

The published band from $39,760 to $99,010 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Gas Plant Operators.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Model Makers, Metal and Plastic: Gas Plant Operators ($88K) , Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators ($60K) , Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ($64K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Model Makers, Metal and Plastic publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4061 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences
  2. 2. Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models
  3. 3. Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts
  4. 4. Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers
  5. 5. Cut, shape, and form metal parts, using lathes, power saws, snips, power brakes and shears, files, and mallets
  6. 6. Rework or alter component model or parts as required to ensure that products meet standards
  7. 7. Drill, countersink, and ream holes in parts and assemblies for bolts, screws, and other fasteners, using power tools
  8. 8. Grind, file, and sand parts to finished dimensions
  9. 9. Devise and construct tools, dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures, or modify existing tools and equipment
  10. 10. Record specifications, production operations, and final dimensions of models for use in establishing operating standards and procedures
  11. 11. Align, fit, and join parts, using bolts and screws or by welding or gluing
  12. 12. Use computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software or hardware to fabricate model parts

O*NET skills and knowledge for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4061 - entity-keyed; sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operation and Control 3.6
  2. 2. Operations Monitoring 3.5
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.3
  4. 4. Quality Control Analysis 3.3
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.1
  6. 6. Equipment Selection 3.0
  7. 7. Troubleshooting 3.0
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.3
  2. 2. Mathematics 4.0
  3. 3. Production and Processing 3.9
  4. 4. Design 3.9
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 3.8
  6. 6. Computers and Electronics 2.9
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$39,760 to $99,010
median $63,340 · ~2.5× spread
$63K
National median
↓ -18%
Growth 2024-2034
300
Annual openings
2,610
Estimated US jobs
Gas Plant Operators
Highest-pay peer · $88K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

1. Massachusetts $67,830
2. California $92,960
3. Florida $79,930
4. New Jersey $72,340
5. Ohio $60,880
6. New York $77,710
7. Illinois $68,890
8. Indiana $62,620
9. Texas $65,920
10. Iowa $61,550

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  2. 2. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  3. 3. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  4. 4. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators $60,020
  5. 5. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  6. 6. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120

The OEWS band for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic runs from $39,760 (10th) to $99,010 (90th), about 2.5× wide, with median $63,340. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect -18% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Massachusetts at $67,830. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Gas Plant Operators at $87,820. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

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Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034.

Dive into Model Makers, Metal and Plastic in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in Massachusetts

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in California

Second-highest state pay

Gas Plant Operators

Highest-pay peer · $88K

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Lower-pay peer · $60K

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Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

What do model makers, metal and plastic do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic. Leading ones include: Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences; Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models; Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts; Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for model makers, metal and plastic? ▼
For SOC 51-4061, O*NET importance scores lead with Operation and Control (3.6), Operations Monitoring (3.5), Critical Thinking (3.3), Quality Control Analysis (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Mathematics, Production and Processing. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How does Model Makers, Metal and Plastic sit next to other Production Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Gas Plant Operators, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators. Among those peers, Gas Plant Operators holds the highest published national median ($87,820). Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators sits lower at $60,020. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic? ▼
The median salary for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic is $63,340 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $39,760 (10th percentile) to $99,010 (90th percentile). For context beside Gas Plant Operators ($87,820), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Model Makers, Metal and Plastic a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects -18% employment change for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 300 projected annual openings. This is declining relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a model makers, metal and plastic? ▼
BLS assigns Model Makers, Metal and Plastic to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay model makers, metal and plastic the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Model Makers, Metal and Plastic are Massachusetts ($67,830), California ($92,960), Florida ($79,930). The table does not identify why state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau