All careers › Pourers and Casters, Metal
Caster: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $38,480lowest 10% earn less
- $45,19025th percentile
- $51,810median
- $61,70075th percentile
- $72,040top 10% earn more
Pourers and casters, metal had a median pay of $51,810 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects employment to decline from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -5%[2]
- Openings per year
- 400[6]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[7]
How much do casters make?
The median wage for pourers and casters, metal was $51,810 a year, or $24.91 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $54,290 a year, or $26.10 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,480 a year[4]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $72,040[4]. The middle half earned between $45,190 and $61,700[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].
Hourly, the 10th percentile was $18.50 and the 90th percentile was $34.63[10].
These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. BLS counted about 4,560 wage and salary jobs[12].
Pay by state and city
Among the 23 states with published data, Tennessee had the highest median at $71,880[13]. Massachusetts ($62,820), Florida ($62,090), Indiana ($61,430) and Ohio ($60,770) followed[13]. Kentucky had the lowest of the 23, at $38,800[13].
Indiana had the most jobs at 530, then Texas at 500, Ohio at 460, Michigan at 360 and Illinois at 330[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Cleveland had the highest median at $63,040, followed by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at $61,680[15]. Chicago had the most jobs at 320[16].
Show median pay in 23 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee[13] | $71,880 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $62,820 | n/a |
| Florida | $62,090 | 40 |
| Indiana | $61,430 | 530 |
| Ohio | $60,770 | 460 |
| Michigan | $60,280 | 360 |
| North Carolina | $57,700 | 100 |
| Illinois | $57,200 | 330 |
| Washington | $54,210 | 80 |
| Texas | $52,100 | 500 |
| Oregon | $52,010 | 60 |
| Kansas | $50,530 | 70 |
| Iowa | $49,010 | 80 |
| Missouri | $48,850 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $47,880 | 320 |
| Alabama | $47,330 | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,220 | 290 |
| Arkansas | $45,410 | 90 |
| Utah | $45,140 | 30 |
| California | $44,150 | 240 |
| Mississippi | $43,370 | 30 |
| Virginia | $39,420 | 60 |
| Kentucky | $38,800 | 60 |
How to become a caster
The Occupational Outlook Handbook profile used for training details covers metal and plastic machine workers, so it describes a wider group[17].
- First: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry. No work experience in a related job is needed[7].
- Next: learn the job through moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. For the wider group, trainees usually begin by watching and helping experienced workers[18].
- Then: build skills. Training time depends on how complex the equipment is. Some operators learn basic machine operations in a few months, and others may need up to 1 year[19].
In an O*NET survey of 20 workers, 80% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, and 20% said less than a high school diploma[20]. For the wider group, certification can show competence and help with advancement[21].
What casters do
O*NET describes the work as operating hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate molten metal into molds to make castings or ingots[22]. Common tasks include:
- Pouring and controlling the flow of molten metal into molds with ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms[23].
- Reading temperature gauges and watching color changes to adjust heat[23].
- Clearing hardened steel or slag from pouring nozzles[23].
- Checking that molds are clean, smooth and properly coated[23].
- Loading metal and flux into furnaces or crucibles[23].
- Skimming slag and collecting scrap for recycling[23].
- Moving ingots to storage with forklifts[23].
Where they work
For metal and plastic machine workers as a wider group, fabricated metal product manufacturing was the largest employer, at 25% in 2025[24]. These workers often run powerful, high-speed machines and follow safety rules. They usually wear protective gear such as safety glasses, earplugs and steel-toed boots[25]. Many manufacturers run machinery for long periods, so evening and weekend work is common[26].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to decline 5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,600 to 4,300 jobs, a loss of about 200[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].
BLS lists productivity change as a factor. Programmable machines such as robots and CNC machinery increasingly replace less advanced machinery[27]. Even so, BLS expects about 400 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year about 3.2% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[28].
Is it a good fit?
The median pay is close to the all-occupations median, and entry needs a high school diploma plus on-the-job training[1][5][7]. Pay varies by state, from $71,880 in Tennessee to $38,800 in Kentucky among states with published data[13]. The number of jobs is projected to fall, though openings still arise from people leaving the job[2][6].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a metal caster make an hour?
- The median was $24.91 an hour in May 2025[1].
- How much does a metal pourer make a year?
- The median was $51,810 a year, and the average was $54,290[1][8].
- What education do you need to be a metal caster?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training[7].
- What is the highest paying state for metal casters?
- Tennessee had the highest median at $71,880 among states with published data[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pourers and Casters, Metal in the US was $51,810 per year and $24.91 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Pourers and Casters, Metal is projected to decline 5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,600 to 4,300 jobs (a change of -200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pourers and Casters, Metal: 10th percentile $38,480, 25th percentile $45,190, 75th percentile $61,700, 90th percentile $72,040. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 400 openings for Pourers and Casters, Metal 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
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Pourers and Casters, Metal: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Pourers and Casters, Metal was $54,290 per year and $26.10 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Pourers and Casters, Metal: 10th percentile $18.50, 25th percentile $21.73, 75th percentile $29.67, 90th percentile $34.63. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 4,560 people were employed as Pourers and Casters, Metal in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Pourers and Casters, Metal in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Pourers and Casters, Metal jobs: Indiana 530; Texas 500; Ohio 460; Michigan 360; Illinois 330. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Pourers and Casters, Metal (areas with at least 100 jobs): Cleveland, OH $63,040; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $61,680; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $58,240; Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $53,100; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $44,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Pourers and Casters, Metal jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 320 (median $61,680); Cleveland, OH 150 (median $63,040); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 150 (median $58,240); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 120 (median $44,020); Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 100 (median $53,100); Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 80 (median $47,750). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Metal and Plastic Machine Workers" covers Pourers and Casters, Metal together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 51-4052.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 80%, Less than a High School Diploma 20% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Pourers and Casters, Metal. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Pourers and Casters, Metal. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of metal and plastic machine workers in 2025: Fabricated metal product manufacturing 25%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Pourers and Casters, Metal: Productivity change - share decreases as programmable machines, such as robotics and computer-controlled (CNC) machinery, increasingly replace less advanced machinery, increasing efficiency. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Pourers and Casters, Metal: 3.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.