51 Series · SOC 51-9195
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $46,170
- Median / year
- $61,530
- Top 10% earn
- +6.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 33,190
- US workers
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic earn a median of $46,170 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $46,170, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,850 (10th percentile) to $61,530 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 33,190 US workers. Montana pays the most ($57,860), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic earn a median of $46,170, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 22% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #62 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.2% by 2033.
- $46,170
- Median annual wage
- Top 78%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #62 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Montana at $57,860. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-9195) pays a national median of $46,170 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $35,850 at the 10th percentile to $61,530 at the 90th, with a mean of $47,500 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 33,190 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 166 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Montana pays the highest state median at $57,860, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is Vineland, NJ at $68,490 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$46,170
per year
Median Hourly
$22.20/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$47,500
average
Employment
33,190
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$46,170 Bottom 22% higher than 22% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic sits on the faster-growing side at +6.2% growth and $46,170 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+6.2%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
5,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces.
- ▸ Place glass into dies or molds of presses and control presses to form products, such as glassware components or optical blanks.
- ▸ Start machine units and conveyors and observe lights and gauges on panel board to verify operational efficiency.
- ▸ Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns.
- ▸ Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
- ▸ Adjust wheel speeds according to the feel of the clay as pieces enlarge and walls become thinner.
- ▸ Spray or swab molds with oil solutions to prevent adhesion of glass.
- ▸ Position balls of clay in centers of potters' wheels, and start motors or pump treadles with feet to revolve wheels.
- ▸ Move pieces from wheels so that they can dry.
- ▸ Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$35,850
25th Percentile
$39,280
Median
$46,170
75th Percentile
$53,000
90th Percentile
$61,530
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $57,860 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $55,990 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Oregon | $52,740 | +14% above national |
| 4 | Connecticut | $52,520 | +14% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $51,780 | +12% above national |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $51,470 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $50,550 | +9% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $50,360 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Colorado | $49,530 | +7% above national |
| 10 | California | $49,190 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Arizona | $49,060 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $48,660 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Maine | $48,640 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $48,030 | +4% above national |
| 15 | Delaware | $47,940 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $47,610 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Kansas | $47,360 | +3% above national |
| 18 | New Jersey | $47,360 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $47,180 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Georgia | $47,160 | +2% above national |
| 21 | New Mexico | $46,970 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Louisiana | $46,870 | +2% above national |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $46,460 | +1% above national |
| 24 | Indiana | $46,400 | same as national |
| 25 | Missouri | $46,380 | same as national |
| 26 | Iowa | $46,220 | same as national |
| 27 | Nebraska | $46,220 | same as national |
| 28 | North Dakota | $46,170 | same as national |
| 29 | South Carolina | $46,110 | same as national |
| 30 | New York | $45,940 | same as national |
| 31 | Tennessee | $45,860 | 1% below national |
| 32 | Minnesota | $45,790 | 1% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $45,410 | 2% below national |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $45,310 | 2% below national |
| 35 | Michigan | $45,250 | 2% below national |
| 36 | Florida | $45,030 | 2% below national |
| 37 | Nevada | $45,020 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Ohio | $44,560 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Utah | $43,440 | 6% below national |
| 40 | West Virginia | $43,300 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Idaho | $42,620 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Kentucky | $41,590 | 10% below national |
| 43 | Texas | $40,010 | 13% below national |
| 44 | North Carolina | $38,190 | 17% below national |
| 45 | Mississippi | $37,580 | 19% below national |
| 46 | Wyoming | $37,510 | 19% below national |
| 47 | Alabama | $36,730 | 20% below national |
| 48 | Arkansas | $35,620 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 166 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland, NJ | $68,490 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $66,340 | +44% above national |
| 3 | Bozeman, MT | $61,010 | +32% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,130 | +30% above national |
| 5 | Modesto, CA | $59,990 | +30% above national |
| 6 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $59,320 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $58,900 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Colorado Springs, CO | $58,570 | +27% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,300 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $56,770 | +23% above national |
| 11 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $56,320 | +22% above national |
| 12 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $56,110 | +22% above national |
| 13 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $55,690 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $55,530 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Worcester, MA | $54,920 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $54,500 | +18% above national |
| 17 | Bend, OR | $54,410 | +18% above national |
| 18 | Joplin, MO-KS | $52,560 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Salem, OR | $52,220 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $52,090 | +13% above national |
| 21 | Wausau, WI | $51,980 | +13% above national |
| 22 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $51,470 | +11% above national |
| 23 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $51,340 | +11% above national |
| 24 | Salinas, CA | $51,320 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $51,110 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $50,790 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Rochester, NY | $50,740 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Greeley, CO | $50,520 | +9% above national |
| 29 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,370 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,180 | +9% above national |
| 31 | New Haven, CT | $50,110 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,880 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $49,860 | +8% above national |
| 34 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $49,840 | +8% above national |
| 35 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $49,720 | +8% above national |
| 36 | Madison, WI | $49,700 | +8% above national |
| 37 | Spartanburg, SC | $49,550 | +7% above national |
| 38 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,530 | +7% above national |
| 39 | Fresno, CA | $49,500 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $49,500 | +7% above national |
| 41 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,300 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,300 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,110 | +6% above national |
| 44 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $49,080 | +6% above national |
| 45 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $49,020 | +6% above national |
| 46 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $48,890 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,800 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $48,790 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $48,580 | +5% above national |
| 50 | York-Hanover, PA | $48,540 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Bloomington, IN | $48,520 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Springfield, MA | $48,520 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Syracuse, NY | $48,370 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Akron, OH | $48,320 | +5% above national |
| 55 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $48,140 | +4% above national |
| 56 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,130 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,970 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,910 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Lancaster, PA | $47,780 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $47,770 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $47,720 | +3% above national |
| 62 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,640 | +3% above national |
| 63 | Rockford, IL | $47,590 | +3% above national |
| 64 | Fort Wayne, IN | $47,530 | +3% above national |
| 65 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $47,400 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,370 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $47,280 | +2% above national |
| 68 | Tulsa, OK | $47,210 | +2% above national |
| 69 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $47,160 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Oklahoma City, OK | $47,150 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Tucson, AZ | $47,150 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $47,140 | +2% above national |
| 73 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $47,050 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,050 | +2% above national |
| 75 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $46,990 | +2% above national |
| 76 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,770 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $46,650 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $46,640 | +1% above national |
| 79 | Omaha, NE-IA | $46,510 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $46,490 | +1% above national |
| 81 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,480 | +1% above national |
| 82 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,480 | +1% above national |
| 83 | Reading, PA | $46,460 | +1% above national |
| 84 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $46,450 | +1% above national |
| 85 | Wichita, KS | $46,340 | same as national |
| 86 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $46,240 | same as national |
| 87 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $46,110 | same as national |
| 88 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $46,060 | same as national |
| 89 | Reno, NV | $46,000 | same as national |
| 90 | Boise City, ID | $45,860 | 1% below national |
| 91 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,850 | 1% below national |
| 92 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $45,810 | 1% below national |
| 93 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $45,790 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $45,670 | 1% below national |
| 95 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $45,670 | 1% below national |
| 96 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $45,600 | 1% below national |
| 97 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,590 | 1% below national |
| 98 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $45,580 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $45,480 | 1% below national |
| 100 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $45,410 | 2% below national |
| 101 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,360 | 2% below national |
| 102 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $45,190 | 2% below national |
| 103 | Flint, MI | $45,110 | 2% below national |
| 104 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,090 | 2% below national |
| 105 | Fargo, ND-MN | $45,040 | 2% below national |
| 106 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $45,020 | 2% below national |
| 107 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $44,930 | 3% below national |
| 108 | Jacksonville, FL | $44,910 | 3% below national |
| 109 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $44,820 | 3% below national |
| 110 | Columbia, SC | $44,790 | 3% below national |
| 111 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $44,560 | 3% below national |
| 112 | Richmond, VA | $44,420 | 4% below national |
| 113 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $44,330 | 4% below national |
| 114 | Columbus, OH | $44,290 | 4% below national |
| 115 | Roanoke, VA | $44,280 | 4% below national |
| 116 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,280 | 4% below national |
| 117 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,210 | 4% below national |
| 118 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $44,200 | 4% below national |
| 119 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $44,030 | 5% below national |
| 120 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $43,890 | 5% below national |
| 121 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $43,870 | 5% below national |
| 122 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $43,710 | 5% below national |
| 123 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $43,680 | 5% below national |
| 124 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $43,660 | 5% below national |
| 125 | Chambersburg, PA | $43,620 | 6% below national |
| 126 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $43,460 | 6% below national |
| 127 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $43,450 | 6% below national |
| 128 | Visalia, CA | $43,360 | 6% below national |
| 129 | Springfield, MO | $43,300 | 6% below national |
| 130 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $42,490 | 8% below national |
| 131 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $42,320 | 8% below national |
| 132 | Peoria, IL | $42,210 | 9% below national |
| 133 | Ogden, UT | $42,170 | 9% below national |
| 134 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $42,150 | 9% below national |
| 135 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $41,960 | 9% below national |
| 136 | Winston-Salem, NC | $41,580 | 10% below national |
| 137 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $40,820 | 12% below national |
| 138 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $40,660 | 12% below national |
| 139 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $40,370 | 13% below national |
| 140 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $40,080 | 13% below national |
| 141 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,980 | 13% below national |
| 142 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $39,980 | 13% below national |
| 143 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $39,670 | 14% below national |
| 144 | Duluth, MN-WI | $39,660 | 14% below national |
| 145 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $39,630 | 14% below national |
| 146 | St. George, UT | $39,470 | 15% below national |
| 147 | Altoona, PA | $39,450 | 15% below national |
| 148 | Birmingham, AL | $39,400 | 15% below national |
| 149 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $39,160 | 15% below national |
| 150 | Cleveland, OH | $39,060 | 15% below national |
| 151 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $38,860 | 16% below national |
| 152 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $38,770 | 16% below national |
| 153 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $38,110 | 17% below national |
| 154 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $38,100 | 17% below national |
| 155 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37,990 | 18% below national |
| 156 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $37,970 | 18% below national |
| 157 | Jackson, MS | $37,580 | 19% below national |
| 158 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $37,510 | 19% below national |
| 159 | Idaho Falls, ID | $37,440 | 19% below national |
| 160 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $36,780 | 20% below national |
| 161 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $36,580 | 21% below national |
| 162 | Evansville, IN | $36,070 | 22% below national |
| 163 | Mobile, AL | $35,860 | 22% below national |
| 164 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $34,900 | 24% below national |
| 165 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $27,720 | 40% below national |
| 166 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $24,650 | 47% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $53,000/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Montana leads at $57,860/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.