Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $56,770/year ($27.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $51,084 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 63.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic, local pay runs about 23% 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 $2,501/month, which is 63% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $56K | $56K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $50K | $48K |
| Boise City | $46K | $47K |
| Salem | $52K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $22K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 63% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,915/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $57K here vs. $46K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $56,770 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,580, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $70,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,971/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 63% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary is worth about $51,084 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.