Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Joplin, MO-KS is $52,560/year ($25.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.72), which stretches that salary to about $61,316 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $947/month, or 27.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $53K get you in Joplin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Joplin’s Regional Price Parity (85.72). 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 Joplin
Joplin sits well above the national pay line for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. Rent runs $947/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics in metros near Joplin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $50K | $54K |
| St. Louis | $43K | $46K |
| Springfield | $43K | $49K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $47K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Joplin, MO-KS
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $20K 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 Joplin 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 Joplin?
Yes — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $947/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics in Joplin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,184/month. At HUD’s $947/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Joplin?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $53K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Joplin compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Joplin pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Joplin, MO-KS?
The median is $52,560 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,400, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $56,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Joplin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,547/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $947/month, which eats 26.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary go in Joplin?
Joplin has a Regional Price Parity of 85.72 (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 $61,316 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.