Foundry Mold and Coremakers Salary
Foundry Mold and Coremakers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $54,920 a year, or about $26.4 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $63,083 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $55K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Waterloo-Cedar Falls sits well above the national pay line for foundry mold and coremakers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foundry mold and coremakers in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $47K | $52K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $46K | $48K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $58K | $55K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $51K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level foundry mold and coremakers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $5K 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 with published data
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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a foundry mold and coremaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for foundry mold and coremakers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foundry mold and coremakers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,028/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $55K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for foundry mold and coremakers?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do foundry mold and coremakers make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $54,920 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,460, and experienced foundry mold and coremakers can clear $54,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,622/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 29% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a foundry mold and coremakers salary go in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median foundry mold and coremakers salary is worth about $63,083 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.