Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY is $54,500/year ($26.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.57), that's roughly $54,735 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,702/month, about 47.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s Regional Price Parity (99.57). 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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Albany-Schenectady-Troy sits well above the national pay line for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,702/month, which is 47% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.57) 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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics in metros near Albany-Schenectady-Troy, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $45K | $40K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $49K | $51K |
| Rochester | $51K | $52K |
| Syracuse | $48K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $58K | +25% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $56K | +21% | 40 |
| Oregon | $53K | +14% | 410 |
| Connecticut | $53K | +14% | 170 |
| Washington | $52K | +12% | 1,130 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | +11% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | +9% | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $50K | +9% | 110 |
| Colorado | $50K | +7% | 390 |
| California | $49K | +7% | 3,590 |
| Arizona | $49K | +6% | 470 |
| Vermont | $49K | +5% | 240 |
| Maine | $49K | +5% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +4% | 550 |
| Delaware | $48K | +4% | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +3% | N/A |
| Kansas | $47K | +3% | 680 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +3% | 620 |
| Illinois | $47K | +2% | 1,230 |
| Georgia | $47K | +2% | 760 |
| New Mexico | $47K | +2% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $47K | +2% | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | +1% | 220 |
| Indiana | $46K | +0% | 1,520 |
| Missouri | $46K | +0% | 690 |
| Nebraska | $46K | +0% | 240 |
| Iowa | $46K | +0% | 340 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +0% | 60 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -0% | 550 |
| New York | $46K | -0% | 1,150 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -1% | 880 |
| Minnesota | $46K | -1% | 900 |
| Virginia | $45K | -2% | 720 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -2% | 1,690 |
| Michigan | $45K | -2% | 1,470 |
| Florida | $45K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Nevada | $45K | -2% | 430 |
| Ohio | $45K | -3% | 1,560 |
| Utah | $43K | -6% | 710 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -6% | 260 |
| Idaho | $43K | -8% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $42K | -10% | 370 |
| Texas | $40K | -13% | 2,550 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -17% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -19% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -19% | 80 |
| Alabama | $37K | -20% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -23% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albany-Schenectady-Troy numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 47% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,702/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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,341/month. At HUD’s $1,702/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic a high-paying job in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $55K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Albany-Schenectady-Troy compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY?
The median is $54,500 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,020, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $64,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,620/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,702/month, which eats 47% 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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary go in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a Regional Price Parity of 99.57 (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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary is worth about $54,735 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics 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.