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

Thinking about a career as a Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic in Virginia? 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 Virginia?

For molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic working in Virginia, the median annual wage is $41,280 per year (or about $19.85/hour).Pay can range from $30,690 at the 10th percentile to $57,050 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$30,690	$14.76
25th percentile	$34,060	$16.38
Median (50th)	$41,280	$19.85
75th percentile	$47,140	$22.66
90th percentile	$57,050	$27.43

The job concentration index in Virginia compared to the national average — is 0.45, suggesting 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), exceeding the Virginia median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 156,074 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic nationwide. In Virginia alone, around 410 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 620 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic.

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

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

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Richmond, VA	70	$36,700
Roanoke, VA	40	$41,410

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

These states have the highest employment of 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

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

Knowledge Areas

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

Abilities

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

Daily Tasks

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic typically:

• 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

Technologies frequently used: 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