Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Career, Salary and Skills

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $46,170 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 33,190. Wage data is published for 179 locations.

Occupation description

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.

O*NET code

51-9195.00

Job zone

2

Typical education

Not recorded

Experience

Not recorded

National salary and employment

Median annual

$46,170

Hourly median

$22.20

Employment

33,190

Data year

2025

National salary distribution

$35,850
10th
$39,280
25th
$46,170
Median
$53,000
75th
$61,530
90th

Top skills

All skill ratings →

Typical tasks

  • Trim or remove excess material, using scrapers, knives, or band saws.
  • Brush or spray mold surfaces with parting agents or insert paper into molds to ensure smoothness and prevent sticking or seepage.
  • Engrave or stamp identifying symbols, letters, or numbers on products.
  • Assemble, insert, and adjust wires, tubes, cores, fittings, rods, or patterns into molds, using hand tools and depth gauges.
  • Clean, finish, and lubricate molds and mold parts.
  • Separate models or patterns from molds and examine products for accuracy.
  • Set the proper operating temperature for each casting.
  • Read work orders or examine parts to determine parts or sections of products to be produced.
All task statements →

Technology

  • Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
  • Inventory control software
  • Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • Timekeeping software
All technology →

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

All 179 locations →

Related careers

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.