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Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in Illinois

Thinking about a career as a Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in Illinois? Here’s what the data says. 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.

What do Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Make in Illinois?

For a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic working in Illinois, wages run about $45,720 per year (or about $21.98/hour).Earnings range from $36,180 at the 10th percentile to $65,090 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$36,180	$17.39
25th percentile	$40,770	$19.60
Median (50th)	$45,720	$21.98
75th percentile	$48,810	$23.47
90th percentile	$65,090	$31.29

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Illinois relative to the national average — is 0.85, indicating fewer molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic earn a median of $33,315 per year ($16.02/hour), higher than the Illinois median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 156,074 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in the U.S.. In Illinois alone, around 1,160 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 620 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic.

Top Illinois Metros for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

The metro areas below employ the most molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Illinois.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	700	$45,790
Peoria, IL	40	$40,880
Rockford, IL	30	$43,590

Top States for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Employment

View the states that employ the most molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic work.

State	Number Employed
California	4,090
Michigan	1,980
Texas	1,950
Indiana	1,740
Pennsylvania	1,740
Ohio	1,730
Florida	1,680
New York	1,350
Illinois	1,160
Massachusetts	1,150
Alabama	1,140
Washington	1,100
Tennessee	930
Missouri	810
New Jersey	800
Kansas	800
Wisconsin	790
Minnesota	730
North Carolina	710
Georgia	680

Highest-Paying States for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

These states pay the most for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic.

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

Skills

Key molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• 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.
• 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.
• Load or stack filled molds in ovens, dryers, or curing boxes, or on storage racks or carts.
• Align and assemble parts to produce completed products, using gauges and hand tools.
• Operate and adjust controls of heating equipment to melt material or to cure, dry, or bake filled molds.
• Select sizes and types of molds according to instructions.

Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Getting Information
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Documenting/Recording Information

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks

Related Careers

Related occupations to molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic include:

• Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
• Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
• Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
• Foundry Mold and Coremakers

Also Known As

Adobe Block Maker, Adobe Maker, Almond Paste Molder, Artificial Candy Maker, Batter Out, Bed Laborer, Bit Gatherer, Block Maker, Blower, Bow Maker, Broom Maker, Bunch Maker, Burial Vault Maker, Burial Vault Setter, Candy Roller.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9195.00