223 metro areas
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic Salary by City (2026)
Molding earn the most in Urban Honolulu, HI, an average of $77,480 a year, against $45,960 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Bremerton, WA ($73,270 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $45,960BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $77,480Urban Honolulu, HI
- Best after cost of living
- $73,270Bremerton, WA
- Metro areas
- 223With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for molding
Top 10 metro areas
- Urban Honolulu, HI$77,480
- Bremerton, WA$77,380
- Portland, ME$64,080
- Decatur, AL$60,090
- Saginaw, MI$59,280
- Corpus Christi, TX$58,970
- Baltimore, MD$58,640
- Davenport, IA-IL$58,490
- Las Vegas, NV$57,740
- San Jose, CA$56,910
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,480 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $77,380 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,080 |
| Decatur, AL | $60,090 |
| Saginaw, MI | $59,280 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $58,970 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $58,640 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $58,490 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $57,740 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,910 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Bremerton, WA$77,380 nominal$73,270
- Urban Honolulu, HI$77,480 nominal$69,830
- Decatur, AL$60,090 nominal$68,900
- Davenport, IA-IL$58,490 nominal$65,660
- Saginaw, MI$59,280 nominal$65,220
- Corpus Christi, TX$58,970 nominal$63,630
- Portland, ME$64,080 nominal$62,910
- Waterloo, IA$54,540 nominal$62,650
- Evansville, IN$56,040 nominal$61,230
- Mobile, AL$53,140 nominal$60,320
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $73,270 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $69,830 |
| Decatur, AL | $68,900 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $65,660 |
| Saginaw, MI | $65,220 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $63,630 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $62,910 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $62,650 |
| Evansville, IN | $61,230 |
| Mobile, AL | $60,320 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,480 | $60,920 | $85,630 | $69,830 |
| 2 | Bremerton, WA | $77,380 | $59,300 | $86,300 | $73,270 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $64,080 | $50,130 | $70,970 | $62,910 |
| 4 | Decatur, AL | $60,090 | $33,320 | $73,280 | $68,900 |
| 5 | Saginaw, MI | $59,280 | $34,340 | $71,550 | $65,220 |
| 6 | Corpus Christi, TX | $58,970 | $38,420 | $69,100 | $63,630 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $58,640 | $39,020 | $68,290 | $56,120 |
| 8 | Davenport, IA-IL | $58,490 | $41,450 | $66,890 | $65,660 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,740 | $36,800 | $68,060 | $57,620 |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | $56,910 | $44,410 | $63,040 | $51,540 |
| 11 | Fort Collins, CO | $56,310 | $39,640 | $64,520 | $55,680 |
| 12 | Ogden, UT | $56,180 | $41,060 | $63,630 | $55,980 |
| 13 | Evansville, IN | $56,040 | $43,470 | $62,230 | $61,230 |
| 14 | Albany, OR | $54,830 | $39,730 | $62,280 | $53,700 |
| 15 | Albany, NY | $54,560 | $36,730 | $63,340 | $54,800 |
| 16 | Waterloo, IA | $54,540 | $49,630 | $56,950 | $62,650 |
| 17 | San Francisco, CA | $53,730 | $41,970 | $59,510 | $46,470 |
| 18 | Lexington, KY | $53,480 | $39,620 | $60,280 | $57,570 |
| 19 | Mobile, AL | $53,140 | $34,470 | $62,340 | $60,320 |
| 20 | Utica, NY | $53,140 | $37,790 | $60,720 | $57,340 |
| 21 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $53,020 | $44,410 | $57,240 | $54,130 |
| 22 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $52,580 | $38,080 | $59,720 | $48,050 |
| 23 | Vallejo, CA | $52,480 | $40,020 | $58,590 | $48,380 |
| 24 | Fargo, ND-MN | $52,290 | $41,890 | $57,410 | $57,540 |
| 25 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $52,290 | $40,730 | $57,990 | $48,150 |
| 26 | Bakersfield, CA | $51,960 | $37,090 | $59,280 | $51,500 |
| 27 | St. Cloud, MN | $51,900 | $43,640 | $55,970 | $59,220 |
| 28 | Pueblo, CO | $51,880 | $38,900 | $58,280 | $56,540 |
| 29 | Columbia, SC | $51,850 | $38,270 | $58,550 | $55,360 |
| 30 | Reading, PA | $51,810 | $41,480 | $56,910 | $53,380 |
| 31 | Midland, MI | $51,710 | $41,540 | $56,720 | $56,250 |
| 32 | Reno, NV | $51,650 | $41,790 | $56,510 | $51,130 |
| 33 | Peoria, IL | $51,540 | $40,770 | $56,850 | $56,490 |
| 34 | Bridgeport, CT | $51,480 | $37,500 | $58,360 | $48,170 |
| 35 | Seattle, WA | $51,420 | $43,080 | $55,520 | $46,270 |
| 36 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $51,400 | $37,710 | $58,140 | $49,040 |
| 37 | Charleston, SC | $51,380 | $37,440 | $58,240 | $50,890 |
| 38 | Oklahoma City, OK | $51,150 | $36,300 | $58,470 | $56,580 |
| 39 | Oxnard, CA | $51,020 | $40,290 | $56,310 | $46,160 |
| 40 | Greeley, CO | $50,590 | $46,950 | $52,370 | $50,500 |
| 41 | Hartford, CT | $50,590 | $36,690 | $57,430 | $49,240 |
| 42 | Portland, OR-WA | $50,460 | $36,920 | $57,140 | $47,870 |
| 43 | Sheboygan, WI | $50,290 | $37,090 | $56,780 | $53,490 |
| 44 | Spokane, WA | $49,860 | $41,540 | $53,960 | $49,690 |
| 45 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,800 | $36,570 | $56,330 | $54,450 |
| 46 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $49,590 | $39,560 | $54,520 | $57,410 |
| 47 | Daphne, AL | $49,520 | $40,620 | $53,910 | $52,300 |
| 48 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $49,480 | $39,540 | $54,370 | $52,540 |
| 49 | New Haven, CT | $49,480 | $36,730 | $55,790 | $47,320 |
| 50 | San Diego, CA | $49,460 | $39,250 | $54,520 | $44,210 |
| 51 | Lincoln, NE | $49,420 | $39,580 | $54,270 | $53,960 |
| 52 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $49,320 | $37,400 | $55,180 | $49,340 |
| 53 | Los Angeles, CA | $49,250 | $39,480 | $54,060 | $43,370 |
| 54 | Denver, CO | $49,170 | $41,720 | $52,850 | $46,480 |
| 55 | Stockton, CA | $49,170 | $41,200 | $53,100 | $46,790 |
| 56 | Columbus, OH | $49,000 | $39,560 | $53,660 | $51,330 |
| 57 | Michigan City, IN | $48,840 | $36,550 | $54,890 | $53,270 |
| 58 | Spartanburg, SC | $48,840 | $38,520 | $53,930 | $53,640 |
| 59 | Bowling Green, KY | $48,780 | $38,830 | $53,680 | $54,090 |
| 60 | Oshkosh, WI | $48,780 | $39,440 | $53,370 | $52,490 |
| 61 | Fresno, CA | $48,670 | $40,140 | $52,870 | $47,640 |
| 62 | Sacramento, CA | $48,650 | $39,560 | $53,140 | $45,610 |
| 63 | Muskegon, MI | $48,570 | $34,740 | $55,370 | $52,500 |
| 64 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,480 | $35,610 | $54,830 | $46,920 |
| 65 | Dubuque, IA | $48,460 | $33,180 | $55,990 | $55,490 |
| 66 | Lancaster, PA | $48,460 | $36,550 | $54,330 | $49,320 |
| 67 | Winchester, VA-WV | $48,420 | $36,440 | $54,330 | $50,200 |
| 68 | Harrisburg, PA | $48,400 | $36,570 | $54,230 | $49,060 |
| 69 | Boulder, CO | $48,340 | $39,120 | $52,890 | $45,950 |
| 70 | Modesto, CA | $48,340 | $37,750 | $53,540 | $46,430 |
| 71 | Canton, OH | $48,240 | $36,900 | $53,810 | $53,960 |
| 72 | Racine, WI | $48,150 | $36,030 | $54,140 | $50,180 |
| 73 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,130 | $35,380 | $54,410 | $46,930 |
| 74 | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,110 | $40,520 | $51,850 | $47,700 |
| 75 | Colorado Springs, CO | $47,920 | $40,540 | $51,580 | $47,580 |
| 76 | Glens Falls, NY | $47,780 | $41,640 | $50,770 | $50,370 |
| 77 | Palm Bay, FL | $47,650 | $37,320 | $52,730 | $47,650 |
| 78 | Lansing, MI | $47,630 | $37,020 | $52,870 | $50,140 |
| 79 | Provo, UT | $47,610 | $37,460 | $52,600 | $48,470 |
| 80 | Jackson, MI | $47,530 | $33,320 | $54,540 | $51,790 |
| 81 | Atlanta, GA | $47,360 | $36,730 | $52,580 | $47,330 |
| 82 | Fort Wayne, IN | $47,320 | $34,800 | $53,480 | $51,120 |
| 83 | Waterbury, CT | $47,280 | $36,730 | $52,460 | $47,390 |
| 84 | Santa Rosa, CA | $47,260 | $40,460 | $50,610 | $43,850 |
| 85 | Fayetteville, AR | $47,240 | $35,380 | $53,060 | $51,710 |
| 86 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,110 | $35,800 | $52,690 | $49,540 |
| 87 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $47,050 | $35,210 | $52,870 | $48,330 |
| 88 | Chicago, IL-IN | $46,990 | $36,820 | $52,000 | $45,360 |
| 89 | Bend, OR | $46,840 | $35,050 | $52,670 | $45,210 |
| 90 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,800 | $35,710 | $52,250 | $49,070 |
| 91 | Jefferson City, MO | $46,800 | $36,710 | $51,770 | $53,200 |
| 92 | York, PA | $46,630 | $37,020 | $51,380 | $48,570 |
| 93 | Springfield, MO | $46,610 | $36,630 | $51,540 | $52,620 |
| 94 | Gainesville, GA | $46,490 | $37,340 | $51,000 | $48,040 |
| 95 | Madison, WI | $46,450 | $37,210 | $50,980 | $47,750 |
| 96 | Chico, CA | $46,400 | $36,130 | $51,480 | $45,850 |
| 97 | Eau Claire, WI | $46,340 | $35,010 | $51,940 | $49,940 |
| 98 | Champaign, IL | $46,300 | $35,240 | $51,770 | $49,940 |
| 99 | Battle Creek, MI | $46,280 | $37,110 | $50,790 | $51,110 |
| 100 | Boston, MA-NH | $46,110 | $37,480 | $50,360 | $42,590 |
| 101 | Springfield, MA | $46,110 | $36,820 | $50,710 | $48,000 |
| 102 | Dallas, TX | $46,050 | $34,200 | $51,900 | $44,670 |
| 103 | Augusta, GA-SC | $45,840 | $42,660 | $47,400 | $49,880 |
| 104 | Syracuse, NY | $45,820 | $39,440 | $48,960 | $47,860 |
| 105 | Buffalo, NY | $45,780 | $38,230 | $49,500 | $47,770 |
| 106 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $45,760 | $36,250 | $50,440 | $45,660 |
| 107 | Cleveland, OH | $45,680 | $35,920 | $50,480 | $48,640 |
| 108 | Riverside, CA | $45,590 | $36,400 | $50,110 | $42,830 |
| 109 | Houston, TX | $45,510 | $33,360 | $51,500 | $46,140 |
| 110 | Norwich, CT | $45,450 | $37,020 | $49,590 | $45,250 |
| 111 | Florence, SC | $45,360 | $35,030 | $50,440 | $52,270 |
| 112 | Manchester, NH | $45,340 | $38,360 | $48,800 | $42,910 |
| 113 | Joplin, MO-KS | $45,320 | $36,340 | $49,730 | $52,870 |
| 114 | Pittsburgh, PA | $45,320 | $35,280 | $50,270 | $47,870 |
| 115 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $45,240 | $35,300 | $50,150 | $49,300 |
| 116 | Scranton, PA | $45,240 | $34,300 | $50,630 | $48,360 |
| 117 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $45,180 | $34,280 | $50,540 | $48,540 |
| 118 | Williamsport, PA | $45,160 | $33,990 | $50,650 | $48,900 |
| 119 | New York, NY-NJ | $45,140 | $34,360 | $50,440 | $40,100 |
| 120 | Providence, RI-MA | $45,120 | $34,690 | $50,250 | $44,330 |
| 121 | Little Rock, AR | $45,010 | $34,280 | $50,290 | $50,370 |
| 122 | Des Moines, IA | $44,970 | $31,390 | $51,670 | $49,040 |
| 123 | Huntsville, AL | $44,910 | $36,400 | $49,090 | $48,250 |
| 124 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $44,890 | $34,690 | $49,900 | $50,460 |
| 125 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $44,760 | $32,700 | $50,710 | $52,110 |
| 126 | Green Bay, WI | $44,720 | $35,730 | $49,130 | $48,040 |
| 127 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,720 | $36,670 | $48,670 | $48,320 |
| 128 | Omaha, NE-IA | $44,700 | $32,760 | $50,590 | $48,630 |
| 129 | Akron, OH | $44,680 | $36,030 | $48,940 | $47,850 |
| 130 | Rockford, IL | $44,600 | $34,490 | $49,570 | $48,400 |
| 131 | Greenville, SC | $44,550 | $35,130 | $49,190 | $47,770 |
| 132 | Austin, TX | $44,510 | $33,950 | $49,690 | $45,390 |
| 133 | Fond du Lac, WI | $44,490 | $36,420 | $48,460 | $48,550 |
| 134 | Kenosha, WI | $44,350 | $33,010 | $49,920 | $43,860 |
| 135 | Milwaukee, WI | $44,280 | $34,630 | $49,050 | $45,680 |
| 136 | Birmingham, AL | $44,220 | $33,050 | $49,730 | $48,250 |
| 137 | Jonesboro, AR | $44,220 | $34,280 | $49,110 | $51,490 |
| 138 | Lima, OH | $44,120 | $37,110 | $47,550 | $49,200 |
| 139 | Cleveland, TN | $44,050 | $35,590 | $48,240 | $50,010 |
| 140 | Carson City, NV | $44,030 | $35,150 | $48,400 | $44,870 |
| 141 | Gettysburg, PA | $44,010 | $35,550 | $48,170 | $46,140 |
| 142 | Montgomery, AL | $43,990 | $35,110 | $48,360 | $49,050 |
| 143 | Durham, NC | $43,970 | $29,990 | $50,880 | $45,060 |
| 144 | Ann Arbor, MI | $43,950 | $38,170 | $46,800 | $43,570 |
| 145 | Winston, NC | $43,930 | $34,590 | $48,530 | $47,730 |
| 146 | Elkhart, IN | $43,760 | $31,160 | $49,960 | $48,450 |
| 147 | Tulsa, OK | $43,740 | $33,590 | $48,730 | $49,030 |
| 148 | Toledo, OH | $43,680 | $36,980 | $46,990 | $47,760 |
| 149 | Asheville, NC | $43,640 | $36,980 | $46,900 | $45,220 |
| 150 | Detroit, MI | $43,560 | $36,360 | $47,110 | $43,430 |
| 151 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $43,560 | $33,860 | $48,340 | $47,260 |
| 152 | San Antonio, TX | $43,490 | $37,420 | $46,490 | $45,920 |
| 153 | Kalamazoo, MI | $43,470 | $35,980 | $47,150 | $45,840 |
| 154 | Amherst Town, MA | $43,450 | $40,140 | $45,070 | $43,340 |
| 155 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $43,430 | $34,440 | $47,840 | $47,920 |
| 156 | Rochester, NY | $43,240 | $35,400 | $47,090 | $44,560 |
| 157 | Boise City, ID | $43,220 | $33,880 | $47,820 | $43,930 |
| 158 | North Port, FL | $43,200 | $34,670 | $47,400 | $42,180 |
| 159 | Greensboro, NC | $43,180 | $32,880 | $48,240 | $46,500 |
| 160 | Knoxville, TN | $43,080 | $33,780 | $47,670 | $46,540 |
| 161 | Tampa, FL | $42,930 | $34,070 | $47,300 | $42,550 |
| 162 | Terre Haute, IN | $42,930 | $30,180 | $49,190 | $48,900 |
| 163 | Waco, TX | $42,850 | $30,580 | $48,880 | $46,300 |
| 164 | Grand Rapids, MI | $42,830 | $35,300 | $46,530 | $44,830 |
| 165 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $42,760 | $39,100 | $44,550 | $46,910 |
| 166 | Traverse City, MI | $42,760 | $36,230 | $45,990 | $45,800 |
| 167 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $42,580 | $33,970 | $46,820 | $43,320 |
| 168 | Trenton, NJ | $42,580 | $33,860 | $46,840 | $41,270 |
| 169 | Youngstown, OH | $42,560 | $33,200 | $47,150 | $48,700 |
| 170 | Indianapolis, IN | $42,540 | $31,970 | $47,740 | $44,450 |
| 171 | Orlando, FL | $42,520 | $33,510 | $46,950 | $41,930 |
| 172 | Jacksonville, FL | $42,450 | $32,590 | $47,320 | $42,670 |
| 173 | Monroe, MI | $42,370 | $34,670 | $46,180 | $45,320 |
| 174 | Pittsfield, MA | $42,290 | $35,400 | $45,660 | $44,470 |
| 175 | Nashville, TN | $42,200 | $33,260 | $46,610 | $43,800 |
| 176 | Dayton, OH | $42,180 | $33,650 | $46,380 | $45,500 |
| 177 | Niles, MI | $42,160 | $33,320 | $46,510 | $45,640 |
| 178 | Raleigh, NC | $42,120 | $33,740 | $46,260 | $42,910 |
| 179 | Mansfield, OH | $42,080 | $35,400 | $45,390 | $47,350 |
| 180 | Tyler, TX | $42,040 | $34,960 | $45,530 | $45,620 |
| 181 | Worcester, MA | $42,020 | $35,730 | $45,120 | $40,990 |
| 182 | Tucson, AZ | $41,750 | $33,300 | $45,910 | $43,090 |
| 183 | Jackson, TN | $41,640 | $32,030 | $46,360 | $48,690 |
| 184 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $41,580 | $35,840 | $44,410 | $47,020 |
| 185 | Logan, UT-ID | $41,410 | $33,720 | $45,220 | $43,170 |
| 186 | Janesville, WI | $41,350 | $33,680 | $45,120 | $44,130 |
| 187 | Twin Falls, ID | $41,330 | $33,260 | $45,300 | $44,870 |
| 188 | Morristown, TN | $41,160 | $35,070 | $44,160 | $47,660 |
| 189 | Miami, FL | $41,040 | $31,990 | $45,490 | $35,950 |
| 190 | Lakeland, FL | $40,930 | $33,280 | $44,700 | $42,130 |
| 191 | Hickory, NC | $40,890 | $32,090 | $45,220 | $46,210 |
| 192 | Wichita, KS | $40,790 | $33,300 | $44,470 | $45,860 |
| 193 | Binghamton, NY | $40,540 | $33,280 | $44,120 | $43,660 |
| 194 | Columbus, IN | $40,500 | $32,200 | $44,600 | $43,550 |
| 195 | Jackson, MS | $40,410 | $35,030 | $43,080 | $45,380 |
| 196 | Vineland, NJ | $40,370 | $32,220 | $44,390 | $42,070 |
| 197 | South Bend, IN-MI | $40,160 | $31,490 | $44,430 | $43,250 |
| 198 | Roanoke, VA | $40,100 | $35,070 | $42,600 | $42,830 |
| 199 | Erie, PA | $40,080 | $29,560 | $45,260 | $44,070 |
| 200 | Johnson City, TN | $40,060 | $35,320 | $42,390 | $45,560 |
| 201 | Eugene, OR | $39,730 | $32,660 | $43,200 | $39,120 |
| 202 | Wilmington, NC | $39,540 | $32,910 | $42,810 | $41,010 |
| 203 | Grants Pass, OR | $39,520 | $32,070 | $43,200 | $40,430 |
| 204 | Burlington, NC | $39,270 | $33,470 | $42,140 | $42,140 |
| 205 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $39,230 | $31,490 | $43,060 | $45,380 |
| 206 | Owensboro, KY | $39,150 | $28,330 | $44,490 | $44,180 |
| 207 | Richmond, VA | $39,150 | $30,260 | $43,530 | $40,010 |
| 208 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $38,690 | $30,760 | $42,600 | $44,110 |
| 209 | Lafayette, IN | $38,650 | $30,830 | $42,520 | $41,370 |
| 210 | McAllen, TX | $38,060 | $27,190 | $43,430 | $44,310 |
| 211 | Hot Springs, AR | $37,040 | $29,410 | $40,810 | $43,210 |
| 212 | Flint, MI | $37,000 | $32,070 | $39,440 | $39,770 |
| 213 | Anniston, AL | $36,840 | $30,260 | $40,060 | $42,860 |
| 214 | Gadsden, AL | $36,670 | $30,930 | $39,500 | $42,810 |
| 215 | Auburn, AL | $36,590 | $26,100 | $41,770 | $41,610 |
| 216 | Florence, AL | $36,170 | $28,390 | $40,000 | $42,640 |
| 217 | Lynchburg, VA | $35,940 | $28,370 | $39,670 | $40,220 |
| 218 | El Paso, TX | $35,030 | $28,770 | $38,110 | $38,960 |
| 219 | College Station, TX | $34,720 | $26,980 | $38,540 | $38,170 |
| 220 | Dothan, AL | $34,550 | $30,140 | $36,710 | $41,210 |
| 221 | Greenville, NC | $33,400 | $28,560 | $35,820 | $37,780 |
| 222 | Brownsville, TX | $32,340 | $27,770 | $34,590 | $37,620 |
| 223 | San Juan, PR | $28,230 | $22,050 | $31,260 | N/A |
More
More on molding
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays molding the most?
Urban Honolulu, HI, where the average (mean) wage is $77,480 a year, followed by Bremerton, WA ($77,380), Portland, ME ($64,080), Decatur, AL ($60,090). The national mean is $45,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do molding earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Bremerton, WA ($73,270 at national prices, $77,380 nominal), Urban Honolulu, HI ($69,830 at national prices, $77,480 nominal), Decatur, AL ($68,900 at national prices, $60,090 nominal).
How much do molding make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $45,140; Los Angeles, CA: $49,250; Chicago, IL-IN: $46,990; Dallas, TX: $46,050; Houston, TX: $45,510 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do molding earn the least?
Of the 223 metro areas with their own estimate, San Juan, PR has the lowest mean wage, $28,230.