Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Texas is $40,010/year ($19.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $43,732 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in Texas?
About molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Texas runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 49.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Texas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $45K | +12% | 250 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $42K | +6% | 790 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $42K | +5% | 170 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $38K | -6% | 490 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $25K | -38% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 49.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,735/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $40K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Texas pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Texas?
The median is $40,010 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,910, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $57,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,849/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 49.7% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $43,732 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.