Foundry mold and coremakers

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

Foundry Mold and Coremakers: Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.

Earnings for machine operators can vary by size of the company, union or nonunion status, industry, and skill level and experience of the operator. Also, temporary employees, who are being hired in greater numbers, usually get paid less than company-employed workers. The median hourly earnings in 2002 for a variety of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic were as follows:

Model makers, metal and plastic	$18.27
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	16.09
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	14.79
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	14.79
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.55
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	14.14
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.04
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.79
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.62
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.56
Pourers and casters, metal	13.40
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.23
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.64
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.56
Foundry mold and coremakers	12.55
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.44
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.22
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.81
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.17
All other metal workers and plastic workers	13.65

Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic held about 1.3 million jobs in 2002. Approximately 9 of 10 jobs were found in manufacturing. About 38 percent of all employment was in these manufacturing industries: transportation equipment manufacturing, plastics and rubber products manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing. The following tabulation shows the distribution of employment of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic by detailed occupation.

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	283,000
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	151,000
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	104,000
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	99,000
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	98,000
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	75,000
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	53,000
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	45,000
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31,000
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	29,000
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	26,000
Foundry mold and coremakers	23,000
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	18,000
Pourers and casters, metal	13,000
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	13,000
Model makers, metal and plastic	8,500
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	6,500
All other metal workers and plastic workers	104,000

(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic)

See more recent statistics for employed workers below.

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Earnings

Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina Texas Utah Virginia Washington Wisconsin
State maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th
Metro maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th

Foundry mold and coremakers
	Percentile annual earnings, $
	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
National
U.S. employment: 16,570 mean earnings: $30,350	19,080	23,370	28,410	35,060	47,600
State and Metro Area
Alabama (ACS) (EAG) employment: 360 mean earnings: $26,450	18,500	23,350	26,250	29,890	34,690
Arizona (ACS) (EAG) employment: 240 mean earnings: $28,800	19,600	23,330	27,380	33,240	40,880
Phoenix - Mesa, AZ employment: 180 mean earnings: $30,140	21,740	24,630	28,160	34,310	42,480
Arkansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $25,300	16,520	22,370	26,060	28,470	30,120
California (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,300 mean earnings: $23,440	15,440	18,730	23,410	27,330	31,270
Los Angeles - Long Beach, CA employment: 610 mean earnings: $22,790	15,140	18,620	23,210	26,900	29,250
Oakland, CA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $26,860	23,630	24,680	26,440	28,190	31,960
Riverside - San Bernardino, CA employment: 210 mean earnings: $20,700	15,020	16,660	19,920	23,100	28,200
San Luis Obispo - Atascadero - Paso Robles, CA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $27,620	17,490	21,230	29,640	33,810	36,340
Colorado (ACS) (EAG) employment: 180 mean earnings: $23,610	15,190	19,390	22,730	27,230	33,520
Colorado Springs, CO employment: n.a. mean earnings: $22,400	16,850	19,240	21,310	23,380	31,010
Denver, CO employment: 90 mean earnings: $23,500	13,290	18,200	22,350	27,570	35,070
Connecticut (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $33,450	22,710	26,220	31,740	37,870	47,200
Hartford, CT employment: 40 mean earnings: $31,140	23,240	26,250	31,040	35,100	41,320
Florida (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $25,490	16,600	19,010	23,770	29,300	35,780
Georgia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $28,700	21,560	24,130	27,590	32,720	38,080
Illinois (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $32,750	19,430	25,700	31,480	39,100	48,490
Chicago, IL employment: n.a. mean earnings: $31,670	18,450	24,870	29,710	36,520	47,770
Rockford, IL employment: n.a. mean earnings: $46,060	35,620	41,640	48,150	52,660	55,370
Indiana (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,610 mean earnings: $37,200	23,040	26,760	34,080	49,840	55,020
Fort Wayne, IN employment: 130 mean earnings: $33,610	23,640	25,560	28,750	42,360	53,210
South Bend, IN employment: 50 mean earnings: $45,420	26,410	45,020	49,060	52,970	55,310
Iowa (ACS) (EAG) employment: 430 mean earnings: $29,930	19,300	21,660	27,800	36,070	46,340
Kansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 240 mean earnings: $25,920	18,230	21,560	25,770	30,540	34,130
Kentucky (ACS) (EAG) employment: 40 mean earnings: $29,360	22,560	24,610	27,450	34,480	41,340
Massachusetts (ACS) (EAG) employment: 230 mean earnings: $36,390	25,400	28,910	33,600	40,220	56,880
Boston, MA - NH employment: 80 mean earnings: $36,860	24,600	27,540	33,240	41,760	63,460
Brockton, MA employment: 40 mean earnings: $32,870	26,560	29,270	32,480	36,060	41,490
Michigan (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $33,300	20,350	25,660	32,180	40,020	50,680
Detroit, MI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $33,230	20,210	24,520	30,450	40,950	53,510
Kalamazoo - Battle Creek, MI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $40,390	36,930	38,590	41,360	44,130	45,810
Minnesota (ACS) (EAG) employment: 250 mean earnings: $30,870	19,700	22,510	30,890	36,870	43,270
Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN - WI employment: 170 mean earnings: $33,610	20,320	26,000	33,320	39,790	46,230
Mississippi (ACS) (EAG) employment: 80 mean earnings: $23,650	18,600	21,080	24,340	26,870	28,390
Missouri (ACS) (EAG) employment: 560 mean earnings: $28,250	16,720	22,490	29,770	33,350	35,520
Kansas City, MO - KS employment: 110 mean earnings: $32,420	24,880	28,800	31,940	35,080	42,410
St. Louis, MO - IL employment: 380 mean earnings: $27,350	16,270	20,020	28,730	32,880	35,570
Nebraska (ACS) (EAG) employment: 120 mean earnings: $27,410	19,750	22,630	26,530	30,860	35,370
Lincoln, NE employment: 50 mean earnings: $29,640	19,820	22,240	28,730	33,670	45,190
Nevada (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $38,790	24,440	26,690	32,950	52,090	57,930
New Hampshire (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $28,120	22,900	24,700	27,350	31,420	35,070
New Jersey (ACS) (EAG) employment: 120 mean earnings: $34,580	25,050	27,130	30,750	39,530	51,270
Newark, NJ employment: 70 mean earnings: $36,130	25,490	27,720	33,030	43,370	52,040
New Mexico (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $26,040	18,940	20,930	24,410	30,070	35,550
New York (ACS) (EAG) employment: 170 mean earnings: $31,330	20,640	25,370	29,920	34,660	48,730
North Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $32,020	17,840	19,680	23,030	48,550	53,590
Ohio (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,190 mean earnings: $34,750	20,480	24,240	29,940	48,610	55,280
Akron, OH employment: 60 mean earnings: $30,000	22,350	26,120	30,770	34,300	36,660
Cincinnati, OH - KY - IN employment: 100 mean earnings: $30,820	23,530	25,560	28,760	33,990	41,760
Cleveland - Lorain - Elyria, OH employment: 320 mean earnings: $33,570	18,800	21,750	27,200	47,420	55,290
Columbus, OH employment: 70 mean earnings: $28,540	20,050	22,340	25,590	29,150	44,890
Youngstown - Warren, OH employment: 80 mean earnings: $29,120	21,460	24,260	26,930	32,710	42,110
Oklahoma (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbook employment: 110 mean earnings: $22,310	15,570	17,670	22,420	26,400	29,290
Tulsa, OK employment: 40 mean earnings: $24,570	17,290	21,330	24,800	27,900	32,110
Oregon (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbook employment: 450 mean earnings: $28,760	19,300	22,970	28,200	33,770	38,890
Pennsylvania (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,040 mean earnings: $27,910	19,700	22,780	27,040	32,400	37,910
Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton, PA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $28,610	19,070	21,990	27,370	35,250	41,560
Erie, PA employment: 90 mean earnings: $31,440	22,540	24,660	28,430	37,570	44,710
Harrisburg - Lebanon - Carlisle, PA employment: 130 mean earnings: $24,120	19,240	21,290	24,350	26,850	28,360
Johnstown, PA employment: 30 mean earnings: $27,780	20,360	23,900	28,990	32,180	34,090
Lancaster, PA employment: 70 mean earnings: $27,450	20,340	24,120	27,470	31,090	34,810
Philadelphia, PA - NJ employment: 60 mean earnings: $30,420	22,230	24,780	29,040	34,760	41,430
Pittsburgh, PA employment: 200 mean earnings: $28,020	19,870	22,290	28,200	33,120	36,930
Reading, PA employment: 120 mean earnings: $24,800	17,730	20,700	24,880	28,130	32,400
York, PA employment: 40 mean earnings: $31,930	24,490	26,210	29,120	36,490	44,390
South Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 300 mean earnings: $28,820	20,580	23,830	28,370	32,990	38,240
Texas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 680 mean earnings: $24,900	15,900	19,980	25,220	29,850	33,760
Austin - San Marcos, TX employment: n.a. mean earnings: $25,900	16,730	20,770	27,180	31,540	33,960
Dallas, TX employment: 90 mean earnings: $22,090	13,970	16,530	22,300	27,290	30,630
Fort Worth - Arlington, TX employment: 50 mean earnings: $19,770	15,050	16,200	18,450	22,950	26,950
Utah (ACS) (EAG) employment: 220 mean earnings: $25,400	17,730	20,380	25,450	29,990	34,190
Provo - Orem, UT employment: 100 mean earnings: $27,420	19,770	24,440	28,210	31,600	34,610
Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 140 mean earnings: $32,400	22,500	25,210	32,260	40,700	43,960
Washington (ACS) (EAG) employment: 240 mean earnings: $27,870	20,680	23,900	27,360	31,960	35,060
Seattle - Bellevue - Everett, WA employment: 60 mean earnings: $29,000	23,610	25,570	29,200	32,780	35,010
Wisconsin (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,420 mean earnings: $30,230	19,600	23,840	29,530	35,080	43,320
Appleton - Oshkosh - Neenah, WI employment: 160 mean earnings: $34,800	29,110	31,050	34,300	39,420	43,640
Milwaukee - Waukesha, WI employment: 460 mean earnings: $30,810	17,450	21,870	29,060	37,760	47,960
Racine, WI employment: 110 mean earnings: $31,180	19,950	24,420	30,120	35,280	47,570
Sheboygan, WI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,000	24,330	25,890	28,520	32,430	36,090

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates

The highlighted text indicates the maximum values in each column among the states and metropolitan areas.

The (ACS) links lead to data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

The (EAG) links lead to U.S. Economy at a Glance data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.