Molders, Shapers, and Casters Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of molders, shapers, and casters to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 2,500 more jobs), with about 5,100 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $46,170 a year ranks 640th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 5,100
- Median pay
- $46,170
- Pay rank
- 640th of 825
Is employment of molders, shapers, and casters growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of molders, shapers, and casters to rise 5.8% (about 2,500 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the -0.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 105 production occupations with a projection. That change ranks 177th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 43,000 |
| Employment, 2035 | 45,500 |
| Projected change | +5.8% |
| Openings a year | 5,100 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 43,000 jobs here differ from the 33,190 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 5,100 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 378th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 250 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for molders, shapers, and casters rank?
The median of $46,170 a year ranks 640th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: long-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundry Mold and Coremakers | -23.0% | 800 | $48,110 |
| Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | -19.2% | 700 | $42,660 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | -3.4% | 13,800 | $44,350 |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -8.9% | 2,500 | $47,920 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | +1.5% | 5,200 | $45,760 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -0.9% | 5,400 | $46,570 |
| Furniture Finishers | -3.5% | 1,500 | $44,540 |
| Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | -18.9% | 500 | $38,020 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.