51 Series · SOC 51-4052
Pourers and Casters, Metal Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $51,810
- Median / year
- $72,040
- Top 10% earn
- -4.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 4,560
- US workers
Pourers and Casters, Metal earn a median of $51,810 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $51,810, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,480 (10th percentile) to $72,040 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 4,560 US workers. Tennessee pays the most ($71,880), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Pourers and Casters, Metal earn a median of $51,810, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 37% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #28 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.7% by 2033.
- $51,810
- Median annual wage
- Top 63%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #28 of 105
- in Production
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Tennessee at $71,880. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Pourers and Casters, Metal (SOC 51-4052) pays a national median of $51,810 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,480 at the 10th percentile to $72,040 at the 90th, with a mean of $54,290 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 4,560 Americans work in this occupation across 23 reporting states and 22 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 600 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 moderate-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. Tennessee pays the highest state median at $71,880, which is +39% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $66,120 - 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
$51,810
per year
Median Hourly
$24.91/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$54,290
average
Employment
4,560
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Pourers and Casters, Metal pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$51,810 Bottom 37% higher than 37% 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 Pourers and Casters, Metal; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Pourers and Casters, Metal sits on the slower-growing side at -4.7% growth and $51,810 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-4.7%
Declining
Annual Openings
600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-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 Pourers and Casters, Metal roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
- ▸ Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
- ▸ Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
- ▸ Assemble and embed cores in casting frames, using hand tools and equipment.
- ▸ Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
- ▸ Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
- ▸ Turn valves to circulate water through cores, or spray water on filled molds to cool and solidify metal.
- ▸ Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
- ▸ Pull levers to lift ladle stoppers and to allow molten steel to flow into ingot molds to specified heights.
- ▸ Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
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
$38,480
25th Percentile
$45,190
Median
$51,810
75th Percentile
$61,700
90th Percentile
$72,040
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 23 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | $71,880 | +39% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $62,820 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Florida | $62,090 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Indiana | $61,430 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Ohio | $60,770 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Michigan | $60,280 | +16% above national |
| 7 | North Carolina | $57,700 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Illinois | $57,200 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Washington | $54,210 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Texas | $52,100 | +1% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $52,010 | same as national |
| 12 | Kansas | $50,530 | 2% below national |
| 13 | Iowa | $49,010 | 5% below national |
| 14 | Missouri | $48,850 | 6% below national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $47,880 | 8% below national |
| 16 | Alabama | $47,330 | 9% below national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $47,220 | 9% below national |
| 18 | Arkansas | $45,410 | 12% below national |
| 19 | Utah | $45,140 | 13% below national |
| 20 | California | $44,150 | 15% below national |
| 21 | Mississippi | $43,370 | 16% below national |
| 22 | Virginia | $39,420 | 24% below national |
| 23 | Kentucky | $38,800 | 25% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 22 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $66,120 | +28% above national |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $66,040 | +27% above national |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $63,040 | +22% above national |
| 4 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $61,740 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,680 | +19% above national |
| 6 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $58,870 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,240 | +12% above national |
| 8 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $53,100 | +2% above national |
| 9 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $51,700 | same as national |
| 10 | Madison, WI | $50,300 | 3% below national |
| 11 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $49,780 | 4% below national |
| 12 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $49,010 | 5% below national |
| 13 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $47,750 | 8% below national |
| 14 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $47,720 | 8% below national |
| 15 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,410 | 12% below national |
| 16 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,190 | 13% below national |
| 17 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $44,790 | 14% below national |
| 18 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,020 | 15% below national |
| 19 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $42,950 | 17% below national |
| 20 | Reading, PA | $41,400 | 20% below national |
| 21 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $37,970 | 27% below national |
| 22 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $37,560 | 28% 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 Pourers and Casters, Metal pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $61,700/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: Tennessee leads at $71,880/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.