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 Midland, MI is $49,270/year ($23.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.92), which stretches that salary to about $53,601 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,193/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Midland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Midland’s Regional Price Parity (91.92). 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 Midland
Midland sits well above the national pay line for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,193/month, which is 36.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Midland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $40K | $40K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $38K | $40K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $39K | $41K |
| Saginaw | $74K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Midland, MI
Entry-level molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $22K 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
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 Midland 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 Midland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 36.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,193/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Midland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,380/month. At HUD’s $1,193/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Midland?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $49K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Midland compare to the national average for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Midland pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Midland, MI?
The median is $49,270 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,660, and experienced molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $61,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Midland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,294/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,193/month, which eats 36.2% 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 Midland?
Midland has a Regional Price Parity of 91.92 (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 $53,601 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.