Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic: Job 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.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Do?
Typical responsibilities of molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic span:
- Read work orders or examine parts to determine parts or sections of products to be produced.
- Trim or remove excess material, using scrapers, knives, or band saws.
What Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Need to Know
Successful molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adobe Block Maker
- Adobe Maker
- Almond Paste Molder
- Artificial Candy Maker
- Batter Out
- Bed Laborer
- Bit Gatherer
- Block Maker
How Many Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Are There?
There are about 156,074 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +7.2% over the projection horizon.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $33,315 |
| Hourly median | $16.02 |
| 10th percentile | $23,476 |
| 25th percentile | $28,396 |
| 75th percentile | $38,234 |
| 90th percentile | $43,153 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $74,780 |
| Maryland | $51,470 |
| New Hampshire | $50,690 |
| New York | $50,470 |
| Connecticut | $50,350 |
| Massachusetts | $49,530 |
| Montana | $49,350 |
| Oregon | $49,290 |
| New Jersey | $49,120 |
| California | $48,390 |
| Georgia | $48,320 |
| Louisiana | $48,280 |
| Washington | $48,100 |
| Vermont | $47,700 |
| Nebraska | $47,640 |
| Rhode Island | $47,630 |
| Delaware | $47,210 |
| Arizona | $47,170 |
| Maine | $47,100 |
| Kansas | $47,040 |
| Indiana | $46,990 |
| Nevada | $46,350 |
| Wisconsin | $45,870 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,810 |
| Illinois | $45,720 |
| Colorado | $45,480 |
| North Dakota | $45,230 |
| Minnesota | $45,090 |
| Iowa | $44,760 |
| Ohio | $44,660 |
| Idaho | $43,960 |
| Florida | $43,730 |
| South Carolina | $42,730 |
| Michigan | $42,520 |
| Missouri | $42,090 |
| Arkansas | $41,920 |
| Virginia | $41,280 |
| Oklahoma | $41,010 |
| Kentucky | $40,280 |
| Tennessee | $39,570 |
| Utah | $39,260 |
| North Carolina | $39,090 |
| Texas | $38,960 |
| West Virginia | $36,970 |
| Alabama | $36,240 |
| Mississippi | $30,070 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $49,134 | 5.4% | 1.41 |
| Far Western US | $48,466 | 17.7% | 1.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $48,200 | 12.1% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $45,055 | 9.9% | 1.63 |
| Great Lakes | $44,930 | 21.5% | 1.69 |
| Rocky Mountains | $42,963 | 4.2% | 1.26 |
| Southeast | $40,825 | 21.6% | 1.13 |
| Southwest | $40,351 | 7.6% | 0.63 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | NJ | $62,530 | 200 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $61,000 | 180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $58,630 | 420 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $58,150 | 80 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $57,360 | 60 |
| Syracuse, NY | NY | $54,560 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $54,250 | 450 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $52,740 | 80 |
Top Industries Employing Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Most molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 28,900 | $45,490 |
| Construction | 3,060 | $48,720 |
| Retail Trade | 840 | $49,730 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 840 | $36,100 |
| Wholesale Trade | 520 | $43,310 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 140 | $48,040 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40 | $41,700 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons (Supplemental)
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (Supplemental)
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers (Primary-Short)
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Tool and Die Makers (Supplemental)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9195.00 (Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.