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

Want to work as a Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in Oregon? Below are the key facts. 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 Oregon?

The molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic working in Oregon, wages run about $49,290 per year (or roughly $23.70/hour).Annual wages span from $38,070 at the 10th percentile to $62,050 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$38,070	$18.30
25th percentile	$40,990	$19.71
Median (50th)	$49,290	$23.70
75th percentile	$56,840	$27.33
90th percentile	$62,050	$29.83

The job concentration index in Oregon relative to the national average — is 1.16, meaning that molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic are more concentrated here 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), above the Oregon median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 156,074 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic across the United States. In Oregon alone, around 520 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 620 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic.

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

These are the Oregon metros with the most molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Oregon.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	370	$48,100
Bend, OR	40	$52,700
Salem, OR	40	$48,810
Eugene-Springfield, OR	30	$40,840

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

The table below shows the states where 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

Where molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic earn the most: 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

Top 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

Top abilities 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

Careers similar 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