Foundry Mold and Coremakers Salary
Foundry Mold and Coremakers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $54,080 a year, or about $26 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $52,735 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 50% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About foundry mold and coremakers
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for foundry mold and coremakers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 49.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foundry mold and coremakers in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $43K | $43K |
| Pittsburgh | $48K | $50K |
| Erie | $46K | $51K |
| Reading | $46K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level foundry mold and coremakers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Foundry Mold and Coremakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Foundry Mold and Coremakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $67K | +39% | 270 |
| Missouri | $61K | +28% | 590 |
| Illinois | $57K | +19% | 390 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +18% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +16% | 60 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +15% | 330 |
| New York | $54K | +13% | 110 |
| Alabama | $51K | +6% | 850 |
| Indiana | $50K | +4% | 720 |
| Iowa | $49K | +2% | 480 |
| Ohio | $49K | +2% | 980 |
| Washington | $48K | +1% | 160 |
| Kansas | $48K | -0% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $47K | -2% | 110 |
| California | $47K | -2% | 420 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -2% | 260 |
| Georgia | $46K | -4% | 220 |
| Michigan | $46K | -4% | 2,050 |
| Nebraska | $46K | -5% | 90 |
| Utah | $45K | -7% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -7% | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -8% | 1,270 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -9% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -9% | 120 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | -10% | 40 |
| Virginia | $43K | -10% | 110 |
| Colorado | $42K | -12% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -12% | 60 |
| Texas | $42K | -12% | 230 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -15% | 150 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -18% | 70 |
| Florida | $38K | -20% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -22% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 33 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track foundry mold and coremakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a foundry mold and coremaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 49.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for foundry mold and coremakers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foundry mold and coremakers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,887/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is foundry mold and coremaker a high-paying job in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $54K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for foundry mold and coremakers?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do foundry mold and coremakers make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $54,080 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,110, and experienced foundry mold and coremakers can clear $78,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,653/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 49.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a foundry mold and coremakers salary go in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median foundry mold and coremakers salary is worth about $52,735 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do foundry mold and coremakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.