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Molder: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$46,170median pay per year, or $22.20 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,850lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,28025th percentile
  3. $46,170median
  4. $53,00075th percentile
  5. $61,530top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median molder, shaper or caster outside metal and plastic work earned $46,170 a year in May 2025, a little under the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 5.8% by 2035, faster than the 3.5% for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.8%[3]
Openings per year
5,100[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do molders make?

BLS uses the official title Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic for this group. The median wage was $46,170 a year, or $22.20 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The median splits workers into a higher-paid half and a lower-paid half[8]. The mean (average) was $47,500 a year, or $22.84 an hour[9]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2].

Here is the spread of pay:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[5][10] $35,850 $17.24
25th[5][10] $39,280 $18.88
50th (median)[1] $46,170 $22.20
75th[5][10] $53,000 $25.48
90th[5][10] $61,530 $29.58

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,850[5]. BLS reports percentile wages and has no starting-salary figure[8]. These numbers cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not count bonuses or benefit costs[11]. About 33,190 people held wage and salary jobs in this group in May 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Montana had the highest state median at $57,860[13]. Hawaii followed at $55,990 and Oregon at $52,740[13]. Arkansas was last in the list at $35,620[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Vineland, NJ had the highest median at $68,490[14]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA was next at $60,130, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $57,300[14].

The most jobs were in California (3,590), Texas (2,550) and Florida (2,410)[15]. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area had the most metro jobs at 970, with a median of $47,640[16].

Show median pay in 48 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Montana[13]$57,860150
Hawaii$55,99040
Oregon$52,740410
Connecticut$52,520170
Washington$51,7801,130
New Hampshire$51,470160
Massachusetts$50,5501,200
Maryland$50,360110
Colorado$49,530390
California$49,1903,590
Arizona$49,060470
Vermont$48,660240
Maine$48,640120
Wisconsin$48,030550
Delaware$47,94090
Rhode Island$47,610n/a
Kansas$47,360680
New Jersey$47,360620
Illinois$47,1801,230
Georgia$47,160760
New Mexico$46,970n/a
Louisiana$46,870100
Oklahoma$46,460220
Indiana$46,4001,520
Missouri$46,380690
Iowa$46,220340
Nebraska$46,220240
North Dakota$46,17060
South Carolina$46,110550
New York$45,9401,150
Tennessee$45,860880
Minnesota$45,790900
Virginia$45,410720
Pennsylvania$45,3101,690
Michigan$45,2501,470
Florida$45,0302,410
Nevada$45,020430
Ohio$44,5601,560
Utah$43,440710
West Virginia$43,300260
Idaho$42,620210
Kentucky$41,590370
Texas$40,0102,550
North Carolina$38,190550
Mississippi$37,580210
Wyoming$37,51080
Alabama$36,730820
Arkansas$35,620190

How to become a molder

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means little to some preparation is needed[17].

What molders do

Molders, shapers and casters in this group make products by molding, shaping, casting or carving, for example food items, figurines, tile, pipes and candles, from materials like clay, glass, plaster, concrete and stone[18]. Typical tasks include:

Sample job titles from workers include caster, molder and injection molding machine operator[20].

Self-employment

In 2025, 22.7% of these workers were self-employed[21]. The OEWS wage figures above leave out the self-employed, so they describe wage and salary workers only[11].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 43,000 to 45,500 jobs[3]. That is faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[4]. These counts include self-employed workers[3].

About 5,100 openings are projected each year[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch jobs, not only new ones[6]. Each year, 5.2% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job you can enter with a high school diploma, followed by long-term on-the-job training[7]. Pay was a little under the all-occupation median, and the 90th percentile was $61,530[1][5][2]. Projected growth of 5.8% is above the all-occupation rate[3][4]. Pay differs by state, so check the median where you live[13].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a molder make an hour?
The median was $22.20 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $22.84[1][9].
What education do you need to be a molder?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for entry, with long-term on-the-job training[7].
Is molder a growing job?
BLS projects 5.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 5,100 openings a year[3][4][6].
What is the highest paying state for molders?
Montana had the highest median at $57,860, followed by Hawaii at $55,990[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in the US was $46,170 per year and $22.20 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic is projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 43,000 to 45,500 jobs (a change of +2,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic: 10th percentile $35,850, 25th percentile $39,280, 75th percentile $53,000, 90th percentile $61,530. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 5,100 openings for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic was $47,500 per year and $22.84 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic: 10th percentile $17.24, 25th percentile $18.88, 75th percentile $25.48, 90th percentile $29.58. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 33,190 people were employed as Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic (areas with at least 100 jobs): Vineland, NJ $68,490; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $60,130; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $57,300; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $56,770; Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $56,110; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $55,530; Worcester, MA $54,920; Kansas City, MO-KS $50,370. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic jobs: California 3,590; Texas 2,550; Florida 2,410; Pennsylvania 1,690; Ohio 1,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 970 (median $47,640); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 790 (median $42,490); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 750 (median $45,410); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 720 (median $46,650); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 660 (median $56,770); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 590 (median $47,370). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 51-9195.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 51-9195.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bed Laborer, Caster, Injection Molding Machine Operator, Machine Operator, Mold Mechanic, Molder, Molding Line Operator, Press Operator. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 22.7% of Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic: 5.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.