Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-9195) earn a median $46,170 a year ($22.20 an hour) in the United States, with 33,190 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Montana.
What molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic do
Molders, shapers, and casters of materials other than metal and plastic form products from clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or mixtures of these. Examples include figurines, tile, pipes, candles, and food products, and the titles listed include adobe block maker. The occupation includes workers who carve as well as those who cast, so hand work and mold work both fall within it. Work orders and an examination of the parts tell the worker which sections or products to produce. The process depends on the material and the product, from molding and casting to shaping and carving. After casting or molding, excess material is trimmed or removed with scrapers, knives, or band saws. Foundry mold makers who work with sand and molten metal are classified under the metalworking group, and machine operators who mold plastic parts are in another code.
Also called: Adobe Block Maker, Adobe Maker, Almond Paste Molder, Artificial Candy Maker, Batter Out.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.24 | $18.88 | $22.20 | $25.48 | $29.58 | $22.84 | 33,190 |
| Annual | $35,850 | $39,280 | $46,170 | $53,000 | $61,530 | $47,500 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Montana | Hourly | $22.65 | $23.33 | $27.82 | $29.33 | $29.94 | $26.77 | 150 | 0.29 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $47,110 | $48,520 | $57,860 | $61,010 | $62,280 | $55,680 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $16.55 | $20.74 | $26.92 | $34.32 | $42.00 | $29.14 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| Annual | $34,430 | $43,130 | $55,990 | $71,380 | $87,360 | $60,620 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $18.88 | $23.08 | $25.36 | $27.61 | $30.80 | $25.34 | 410 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $39,270 | $48,000 | $52,740 | $57,420 | $64,060 | $52,700 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $19.25 | $21.18 | $25.25 | $28.02 | $31.45 | $25.55 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $44,060 | $52,520 | $58,270 | $65,420 | $53,150 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.68 | $23.35 | $24.90 | $29.58 | $32.77 | $26.47 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $43,010 | $48,580 | $51,780 | $61,520 | $68,170 | $55,060 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.17 | $21.72 | $23.65 | $28.25 | $34.00 | $25.13 | 3,590 | 0.20 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $37,790 | $45,180 | $49,190 | $58,770 | $70,720 | $52,280 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.90 | $17.08 | $19.23 | $22.92 | $27.53 | $20.15 | 2,550 | 0.18 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $28,910 | $35,530 | $40,010 | $47,670 | $57,270 | $41,900 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.45 | $19.04 | $21.65 | $22.71 | $27.26 | $21.76 | 2,410 | 0.24 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $36,290 | $39,610 | $45,030 | $47,230 | $56,710 | $45,260 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.14 | $18.99 | $21.78 | $23.76 | $28.67 | $22.45 | 1,690 | 0.28 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $35,650 | $39,500 | $45,310 | $49,410 | $59,630 | $46,700 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.85 | $18.26 | $21.43 | $24.16 | $29.98 | $22.38 | 1,560 | 0.28 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $37,120 | $37,970 | $44,560 | $50,250 | $62,360 | $46,540 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Vineland, NJ | Hourly | $18.23 | $23.67 | $32.93 | $34.51 | $39.43 | $30.16 | 150 | 2.44 | 11.42 |
| Annual | $37,920 | $49,240 | $68,490 | $71,780 | $82,010 | $62,730 | ||||
| Bozeman, MT | Hourly | $23.00 | $25.81 | $29.33 | $29.33 | $29.51 | $28.01 | 50 | 0.68 | 3.20 |
| Annual | $47,840 | $53,680 | $61,010 | $61,010 | $61,390 | $58,260 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.71 | $24.43 | $28.91 | $35.71 | $41.20 | $30.14 | 130 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $47,240 | $50,810 | $60,130 | $74,270 | $85,690 | $62,680 | ||||
| Modesto, CA | Hourly | $19.05 | $28.27 | $28.84 | $37.84 | $43.71 | $31.16 | 70 | 0.38 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $58,810 | $59,990 | $78,710 | $90,910 | $64,810 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $19.00 | $19.94 | $28.52 | $37.01 | $37.01 | $27.71 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $39,520 | $41,480 | $59,320 | $76,980 | $76,980 | $57,640 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.85 | $20.55 | $22.91 | $28.11 | $31.32 | $24.35 | 970 | 0.15 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $37,130 | $42,740 | $47,640 | $58,460 | $65,150 | $50,650 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.93 | $16.97 | $20.43 | $21.87 | $26.27 | $19.74 | 790 | 0.19 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $28,970 | $35,300 | $42,490 | $45,490 | $54,640 | $41,050 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.93 | $19.00 | $21.83 | $26.65 | $33.60 | $23.62 | 750 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $39,370 | $39,520 | $45,410 | $55,440 | $69,890 | $49,130 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.01 | $18.53 | $22.43 | $23.78 | $29.46 | $22.49 | 720 | 0.16 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $35,380 | $38,540 | $46,650 | $49,470 | $61,270 | $46,790 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.35 | $23.73 | $27.29 | $30.46 | $34.09 | $27.76 | 660 | 0.32 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $48,580 | $49,350 | $56,770 | $63,360 | $70,900 | $57,740 | ||||
Top industries employing molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing employ 66.6% of molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic nationally (22,100 jobs) at a median $46,190 a year ($22.21 an hour), followed by Building Finishing Contractors (7.7%) and Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing (4.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000 | 22,100 | 66.6% | $46,190 | $22.21 |
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 2,560 | 7.7% | $50,400 | $24.23 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 1,360 | 4.1% | $43,460 | $20.89 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,000 | 3.0% | $36,060 | $17.34 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing NAICS 326100 | 980 | 3.0% | $39,480 | $18.98 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (33,190). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,500 for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in May 2021 and $46,170 in May 2025, with employment of 38,420 and 33,190.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,500 | $18.03 | 38,420 |
| May 2022 | $39,590 | $19.03 | 39,060 |
| May 2023 | $43,310 | $20.82 | 38,480 |
| May 2024 | $45,690 | $21.97 | 34,750 |
| May 2025 | $46,170 | $22.20 | 33,190 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
48 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana profile | $27.82 | $57,860 | $47,110 | $62,280 | 150 | 0.29 | 1.38 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $26.92 | $55,990 | $34,430 | $87,360 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $25.36 | $52,740 | $39,270 | $64,060 | 410 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $25.25 | $52,520 | $40,030 | $65,420 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.47 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $24.90 | $51,780 | $43,010 | $68,170 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 1.49 |
| 6 | New Hampshire profile | $24.75 | $51,470 | $37,280 | $67,650 | 160 | 0.24 | 1.13 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $24.30 | $50,550 | $37,630 | $72,520 | 1,200 | 0.33 | 1.55 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $24.21 | $50,360 | $36,910 | $67,480 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $23.81 | $49,530 | $39,250 | $63,760 | 390 | 0.14 | 0.63 |
| 10 | California profile | $23.65 | $49,190 | $37,790 | $70,720 | 3,590 | 0.20 | 0.92 |
| 11 | Arizona profile | $23.59 | $49,060 | $40,040 | $55,260 | 470 | 0.15 | 0.68 |
| 12 | Vermont profile | $23.39 | $48,660 | $39,540 | $63,650 | 240 | 0.78 | 3.66 |
| 13 | Maine profile | $23.39 | $48,640 | $42,080 | $57,540 | 120 | 0.19 | 0.88 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $23.09 | $48,030 | $38,820 | $71,660 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.88 |
| 15 | Delaware profile | $23.05 | $47,940 | $38,700 | $62,700 | 90 | 0.18 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $22.89 | $47,610 | $42,500 | $69,540 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Kansas profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $39,170 | $61,780 | 680 | 0.48 | 2.23 |
| 18 | New Jersey profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $38,160 | $71,780 | 620 | 0.15 | 0.68 |
| 19 | Illinois profile | $22.68 | $47,180 | $34,900 | $62,080 | 1,230 | 0.20 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Georgia profile | $22.67 | $47,160 | $33,210 | $64,000 | 760 | 0.16 | 0.73 |
| 21 | New Mexico profile | $22.58 | $46,970 | $35,320 | $54,080 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Louisiana profile | $22.53 | $46,870 | $37,220 | $76,980 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 23 | Oklahoma profile | $22.34 | $46,460 | $30,850 | $55,410 | 220 | 0.13 | 0.60 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $22.31 | $46,400 | $36,070 | $63,990 | 1,520 | 0.48 | 2.23 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $34,700 | $59,880 | 690 | 0.24 | 1.10 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $30,140 | $59,380 | 340 | 0.22 | 1.03 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $39,420 | $57,440 | 240 | 0.23 | 1.08 |
| 28 | North Dakota profile | $22.20 | $46,170 | $40,170 | $52,260 | 60 | 0.13 | 0.61 |
| 29 | South Carolina profile | $22.17 | $46,110 | $36,010 | $63,590 | 550 | 0.24 | 1.12 |
| 30 | New York profile | $22.09 | $45,940 | $36,850 | $64,850 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $22.05 | $45,860 | $33,330 | $56,720 | 880 | 0.27 | 1.26 |
| 32 | Minnesota profile | $22.02 | $45,790 | $38,610 | $58,490 | 900 | 0.31 | 1.43 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $21.83 | $45,410 | $36,720 | $57,180 | 720 | 0.17 | 0.82 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.78 | $45,310 | $35,650 | $59,630 | 1,690 | 0.28 | 1.30 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $21.75 | $45,250 | $37,020 | $57,080 | 1,470 | 0.33 | 1.56 |
| 36 | Florida profile | $21.65 | $45,030 | $36,290 | $56,710 | 2,410 | 0.24 | 1.14 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $21.64 | $45,020 | $34,580 | $61,110 | 430 | 0.27 | 1.28 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $21.43 | $44,560 | $37,120 | $62,360 | 1,560 | 0.28 | 1.32 |
| 39 | Utah profile | $20.88 | $43,440 | $35,300 | $57,790 | 710 | 0.41 | 1.92 |
| 40 | West Virginia profile | $20.82 | $43,300 | $37,220 | $51,280 | 260 | 0.37 | 1.73 |
| 41 | Idaho profile | $20.49 | $42,620 | $36,940 | $49,070 | 210 | 0.24 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $20.00 | $41,590 | $31,330 | $48,320 | 370 | 0.19 | 0.86 |
| 43 | Texas profile | $19.23 | $40,010 | $28,910 | $57,270 | 2,550 | 0.18 | 0.85 |
| 44 | North Carolina profile | $18.36 | $38,190 | $30,930 | $55,260 | 550 | 0.11 | 0.53 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $18.07 | $37,580 | $24,440 | $50,740 | 210 | 0.18 | 0.86 |
| 46 | Wyoming profile | $18.03 | $37,510 | $34,320 | $44,890 | 80 | 0.28 | 1.32 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $17.66 | $36,730 | $30,940 | $51,340 | 820 | 0.39 | 1.83 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $17.13 | $35,620 | $29,820 | $45,570 | 190 | 0.15 | 0.69 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9190), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9195 Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9195, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9195.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.