How much does a metal casting operator make?
Answer: A typical metal casting operator in the United States makes $44,350 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 150,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Metal casting operator pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $34,170 | $44,350 | $61,600 | about 150,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $49,590 | about 2,000 |
| Nebraska | $48,500 | about 1,000 |
| Washington | $48,290 | about 2,000 |
| Colorado | $48,200 | about 2,000 |
| New Hampshire | $47,610 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, experience, in-demand skills, and useful certifications can affect pay; it can also differ by employer, factory type, and location. Some factories run evening or weekend shifts or longer weeks, so hours worked can change total earnings.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a metal casting operator do?
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
What's a typical day like?
They read job instructions, set a machine’s temperature and speed, and watch gauges as it shapes parts in a mold. Between runs, they clean the mold and machine so the next part can be made correctly.
How to get this job
In the US, a high school diploma is the usual starting point, followed by hands-on training at the factory. Training can take a few months to about a year, depending on how complex the machine is.
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?
The American Foundry Society says you’re rarely more than 10 feet from a metal casting in the US—one may be in a nearby car, pipe, or appliance.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Production jobs that pay a bit moreSources 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
- www.bls.gov/OOH/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/51-4072.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes514072.htm
- www.afsinc.org/about-metalcasting
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY