$Who Earns What

How much does a molder make?

US Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

Answer: A typical molder in the United States makes $46,170 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$46,170

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 33,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$35,850
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$46,170
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$61,530
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

54 of 100
more than half

Molder pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Molder pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$35,850$46,170$61,530about 33,000
States where molders earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Washington$51,780about 1,000
Massachusetts$50,550about 1,000
California$49,190about 4,000
Wisconsin$48,030about 550
Kansas$47,360about 680

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, skill, the kind of employer or industry, and location; more specialized work or a certification an employer values may pay more. Working extra hours can raise total earnings, while fame usually matters little in this production job.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$46,170
Washington$51,780
Massachusetts$50,550
California$49,190
Wisconsin$48,030
Kansas$47,360
Texas$40,010
North Carolina$38,190
Alabama$36,730

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a molder do?

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's a typical day like?

They read an order, coat a mold so material will not stick, then pour or press in clay, plaster, concrete, or another material. After it sets or is heated, they remove the piece, trim extra material, and check its size and finish.

How to get this job

In the U.S., most start after high school or a GED, though some jobs accept less education. New molders often need little experience and learn on the job over days to a year; related registered apprenticeships are also available.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

Molders can make food products and candles as well as figurines, tile, and pipes—an unusually wide mix of things to shape.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY