Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Arizona is $49,060/year ($23.59/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $50,887 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 42.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Arizona?
About molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Arizona
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 42.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Arizona
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $49K | +0% | 390 |
| Tucson | $47K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 42.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,402/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Arizona pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Arizona?
The median is $49,060 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,040, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $55,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,353/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 42.9% 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 Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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 $50,887 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.