How much does a metal caster make?
a year · about $25 an hour
A typical metal caster in the United States makes $51,810 a year, about $25 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They check molds, load metal into a furnace, watch gauges, then use a ladle or machine to pour it. In protective gear, they skim off waste, check samples, and move castings in a hot, noisy plant.
Did you know? The American Foundry Society says most people are rarely more than 10 feet from a casting—so one may be surprisingly close!
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $38,480 and $72,040How do you become one?
In the U.S., people usually finish high school or earn a GED, then apply for foundry work and learn on the job; training can take a few days to a year. O*NET gives no standard starting age.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., metal casters with more experience and stronger skills may earn more. Pay also varies by region and employer: foundries, steel mills, and other metal producers do not all pay alike.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Tennessee ($71,880), lowest in Kentucky ($38,800).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,480 | $51,810 | $72,040 | about 5,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $71,880 | about 120 |
| Massachusetts | $62,820 | — |
| Florida | $62,090 | about 40 |
| Indiana | $61,430 | about 530 |
| Ohio | $60,770 | about 460 |
Official definition: Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.
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.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4052.00
- www.onetonline.org/skills/zone/51-4052.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes514052.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.afsinc.org/about-metalcasting
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY