Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
The mean pay for a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Pennsylvania is $46,760/year ($22.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $49,237 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 41.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K (mean) get you in Pennsylvania?
About molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by metro in Pennsylvania
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $54K | +16% | 690 |
| Lancaster | $49K | +4% | 440 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $48K | +3% | 850 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $47K | +0% | 140 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $47K | -1% | 1,150 |
| York-Hanover | $46K | -2% | 360 |
| Pittsburgh | $46K | -3% | 800 |
| Williamsport | $45K | -3% | 190 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $45K | -4% | 350 |
| Gettysburg | $45K | -4% | 80 |
| Erie | $37K | -22% | 860 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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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 Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,029/month. At HUD’s $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Pennsylvania pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), 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 Pennsylvania?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $46,760 a year for this occupation in Pennsylvania. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $33,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,181/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 42.5% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $49,237 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.