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 Florida is $38,440/year ($18.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $38,994 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 59.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Florida?
About molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Florida
Pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Florida runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 60.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Florida
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $49K | +28% | 100 |
| Port St. Lucie | $47K | +23% | 30 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $40K | +3% | 380 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $39K | +2% | 230 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $39K | +1% | 200 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $38K | -0% | 630 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $38K | -0% | 780 |
| Jacksonville | $37K | -4% | 260 |
Compare to other states
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 Florida 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 Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 60.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 Florida?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $38K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Florida pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Florida?
The median is $38,440 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $58,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,744/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 60.4% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $38,994 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.