Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Arkansas is $35,620/year ($17.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $40,644 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 42% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Arkansas?
About molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Arkansas runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,021/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Arkansas
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $40K | +12% | 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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,789/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Arkansas?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $36K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Arkansas pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Arkansas?
The median is $35,620 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,820, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $45,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,453/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 41.6% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $40,644 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.