SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9195.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,850 | $2,988 | $689 | $17.24 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $39,280 | $3,273 | $755 | $18.88 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $46,170 | $3,848 | $888 | $22.20 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $53,000 | $4,417 | $1,019 | $25.48 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $61,530 | $5,128 | $1,183 | $29.58 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic is $46,170, which is 9% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 62 by median pay. With 33,190 jobs, it makes up about 2.1 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic pay by state
The highest median pay was in Montana ($57,860), Hawaii ($55,990) and Oregon ($52,740). The lowest was in Arkansas ($35,620), Alabama ($36,730) and Wyoming ($37,510). The most jobs were in California (3,590), Texas (2,550) and Florida (2,410). The occupation is most concentrated in Vermont, where its share of all jobs is 3.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 150 | $57,860 | $55,680 | $27.82 |
| Hawaii | 40 | $55,990 | $60,620 | $26.92 |
| Oregon | 410 | $52,740 | $52,700 | $25.36 |
| Connecticut | 170 | $52,520 | $53,150 | $25.25 |
| Washington | 1,130 | $51,780 | $55,060 | $24.90 |
| New Hampshire | 160 | $51,470 | $52,100 | $24.75 |
| Massachusetts | 1,200 | $50,550 | $53,630 | $24.30 |
| Maryland | 110 | $50,360 | $52,260 | $24.21 |
| Colorado | 390 | $49,530 | $51,630 | $23.81 |
| California | 3,590 | $49,190 | $52,280 | $23.65 |
| Arizona | 470 | $49,060 | $48,200 | $23.59 |
| Vermont | 240 | $48,660 | $51,060 | $23.39 |
| Maine | 120 | $48,640 | $48,410 | $23.39 |
| Wisconsin | 550 | $48,030 | $50,720 | $23.09 |
| Delaware | 90 | $47,940 | $48,250 | $23.05 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $47,610 | $50,940 | $22.89 |
| Kansas | 680 | $47,360 | $50,320 | $22.77 |
| New Jersey | 620 | $47,360 | $52,270 | $22.77 |
| Illinois | 1,230 | $47,180 | $48,150 | $22.68 |
| Georgia | 760 | $47,160 | $46,700 | $22.67 |
| New Mexico | not published | $46,970 | $45,670 | $22.58 |
| Louisiana | 100 | $46,870 | $50,890 | $22.53 |
| Oklahoma | 220 | $46,460 | $44,220 | $22.34 |
| Indiana | 1,520 | $46,400 | $48,120 | $22.31 |
| Missouri | 690 | $46,380 | $47,170 | $22.30 |
| Iowa | 340 | $46,220 | $46,250 | $22.22 |
| Nebraska | 240 | $46,220 | $46,890 | $22.22 |
| North Dakota | 60 | $46,170 | $45,980 | $22.20 |
| South Carolina | 550 | $46,110 | $46,590 | $22.17 |
| New York | 1,150 | $45,940 | $49,240 | $22.09 |
| Tennessee | 880 | $45,860 | $45,070 | $22.05 |
| Minnesota | 900 | $45,790 | $46,970 | $22.02 |
| Virginia | 720 | $45,410 | $45,310 | $21.83 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,690 | $45,310 | $46,700 | $21.78 |
| Michigan | 1,470 | $45,250 | $45,130 | $21.75 |
| Florida | 2,410 | $45,030 | $45,260 | $21.65 |
| Nevada | 430 | $45,020 | $46,240 | $21.64 |
| Ohio | 1,560 | $44,560 | $46,540 | $21.43 |
| Utah | 710 | $43,440 | $44,540 | $20.88 |
| West Virginia | 260 | $43,300 | $43,880 | $20.82 |
| Idaho | 210 | $42,620 | $42,990 | $20.49 |
| Kentucky | 370 | $41,590 | $41,360 | $20.00 |
| Texas | 2,550 | $40,010 | $41,900 | $19.23 |
| North Carolina | 550 | $38,190 | $41,690 | $18.36 |
| Mississippi | 210 | $37,580 | $37,950 | $18.07 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $37,510 | $40,440 | $18.03 |
| Alabama | 820 | $36,730 | $40,460 | $17.66 |
| Arkansas | 190 | $35,620 | $37,280 | $17.13 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$46,350 a year
- Upholsterers$46,340 a year
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330 a year
- Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$45,950 a year
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850 a year
- Printing Press Operators$45,780 a year
Common questions
How much do Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic earn in the United States?
The median pay was $46,170 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,850 and the highest-paid 10% more than $61,530.
How many people work as Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic?
About 33,190 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.