Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The median pay for a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Elkhart-Goshen, IN is $43,880/year ($21.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.33), which stretches that salary to about $48,577 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,183/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Elkhart-Goshen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elkhart-Goshen’s Regional Price Parity (90.33). 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Elkhart-Goshen
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Elkhart-Goshen tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,183/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Elkhart-Goshen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $37K | $39K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $40K | $42K |
| Evansville | $61K | $67K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $38K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Entry-level molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $78K | +75% | 140 |
| Maryland | $63K | +43% | 230 |
| Maine | $59K | +34% | 470 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +12% | 2,230 |
| Nevada | $50K | +12% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +9% | 1,000 |
| Washington | $48K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Colorado | $48K | +9% | 2,160 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +8% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +7% | 1,080 |
| California | $47K | +7% | 9,250 |
| Kentucky | $47K | +6% | 4,340 |
| Arizona | $47K | +6% | 1,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | +5% | 7,000 |
| Utah | $47K | +5% | 2,400 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +4% | 1,100 |
| Oregon | $46K | +4% | 1,780 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | +3% | 2,030 |
| Illinois | $46K | +3% | 10,680 |
| Virginia | $45K | +2% | 1,680 |
| South Carolina | $45K | +2% | 3,240 |
| Iowa | $45K | +2% | 3,670 |
| Delaware | $45K | +2% | 120 |
| Ohio | $45K | +1% | 11,050 |
| Arkansas | $45K | +1% | 2,520 |
| Vermont | $45K | +0% | 110 |
| New York | $45K | +0% | 3,320 |
| Indiana | $44K | -0% | 8,810 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -0% | 8,590 |
| Missouri | $44K | -1% | 3,340 |
| Montana | $43K | -2% | 110 |
| Georgia | $43K | -2% | 2,060 |
| Kansas | $43K | -3% | 1,240 |
| Idaho | $43K | -4% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | -4% | 3,810 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -4% | 420 |
| Rhode Island | $42K | -5% | 430 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -5% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -6% | 7,570 |
| Texas | $41K | -7% | 7,460 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -8% | 840 |
| New Jersey | $40K | -10% | 2,450 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -10% | 550 |
| Michigan | $39K | -11% | 13,550 |
| Alabama | $39K | -12% | 5,900 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -12% | 3,730 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -13% | 90 |
| Florida | $38K | -13% | 3,290 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -14% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Elkhart-Goshen numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elkhart-Goshen?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Elkhart-Goshen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,753/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Elkhart-Goshen?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Elkhart-Goshen compare to the national average for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Elkhart-Goshen pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
The median is $43,880 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,220, and experienced molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $60,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Elkhart-Goshen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,997/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 39.5% 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Elkhart-Goshen?
Elkhart-Goshen has a Regional Price Parity of 90.33 (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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $48,577 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, 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.