Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic in Wausau, WI is $51,980/year ($24.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.65), which stretches that salary to about $56,104 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,147/month, about 33.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Wausau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wausau’s Regional Price Parity (92.65). 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 Wausau
Wausau sits well above the national pay line for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. Rent runs $1,147/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.65 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Wausau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $50K | $51K |
| Duluth | $40K | $45K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $47K | $45K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $45K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wausau, WI
Entry-level molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $32K 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
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 Wausau 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 Wausau?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Wausau?
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 $1,984/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Wausau?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $52K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Wausau compare to the national average for molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics?
Wausau pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics make in Wausau, WI?
The median is $51,980 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,070, and experienced molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastics can clear $64,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Wausau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,508/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 32.7% 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 Wausau?
Wausau has a Regional Price Parity of 92.65 (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 $56,104 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.