Pourers and Casters, Metal: Career Overview
Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.
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The Daily Work of Pourers and Casters, Metal Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of pourers and casters, metal span:
- Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
- Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
- Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
- Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
- Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
- Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
- Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
- Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful pourers and casters, metal draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Pourers and Casters, Metal Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aluminum Pourer
- Billet Header
- Brass Pourer
- Buggy Ladle Tender
- Bull Ladle Tender
- Busher
- Caster
- Casting Machine Operator
How Many Pourers and Casters, Metal Are There?
There are roughly 374,992 pourers and casters, metal working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +11.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Pourers and Casters, Metal
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $48,955 |
| Hourly median | $23.54 |
| 10th percentile | $29,491 |
| 25th percentile | $39,223 |
| 75th percentile | $58,686 |
| 90th percentile | $68,418 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $62,080 |
| Massachusetts | $58,910 |
| North Carolina | $58,640 |
| Michigan | $57,690 |
| Georgia | $56,190 |
| Illinois | $56,090 |
| Iowa | $54,320 |
| Indiana | $54,110 |
| Oregon | $50,230 |
| New York | $49,720 |
| Texas | $48,800 |
| Ohio | $47,310 |
| Missouri | $47,210 |
| Tennessee | $47,100 |
| Wisconsin | $46,170 |
| Virginia | $45,480 |
| Kentucky | $44,700 |
| West Virginia | $44,700 |
| Utah | $44,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,060 |
| California | $40,770 |
| Arkansas | $40,300 |
| Alabama | $39,210 |
Where Pourers and Casters, Metal Earn the Most
Compensation for pourers and casters, metal shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $58,910 | 2.2% | 0.87 |
| Great Lakes | $52,445 | 50.4% | 4.95 |
| Plains States | $50,765 | 4.1% | 1.44 |
| Southwest | $48,800 | 8.9% | 0.92 |
| Southeast | $44,761 | 14.6% | 1.67 |
| Rocky Mountains | $44,450 | 0.7% | 0.59 |
| Middle Atlantic | $44,374 | 13.3% | 2.83 |
| Far Western US | $42,600 | 5.7% | 0.45 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $64,090 | 90 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $59,850 | 490 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $53,720 | 40 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $49,770 | 110 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | PA | $48,930 | 70 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | IN | $48,320 | 140 |
| Lancaster, PA | PA | $46,070 | 30 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | IN | $45,440 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
Most pourers and casters, metal are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,720 | $48,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 70 | $37,300 |
Below are examples of industries where pourers and casters, metal work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for pourers and casters, metal reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
Education and Training
Most pourers and casters, metal positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
References
Data on this page comes from 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: 51-4052.00 (Pourers and Casters, Metal).
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