Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Fort Wayne, IN is $47,530/year ($22.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $51,345 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 33.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Fort Wayne
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic pay in Fort Wayne tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | $49K |
| Bloomington | $49K | $51K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $47K | $52K |
| Evansville | $36K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $28K 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 Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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 Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,962/month. At HUD’s $1,113/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 Fort Wayne?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Fort Wayne pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), 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 Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $47,530 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,700, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $60,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,232/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 34.4% 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 Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $51,345 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.