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Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Illinois

SOC 51-4072 · Illinois · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$45,510
$21.88/hr
2.6% higher than the US national median ($44,346)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Illinois is $45,510 per year ($21.88/hr). This is 2.6% higher than the national median of $44,346.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.

Wage Percentiles: Illinois

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P50 MEDIAN$21.88$45,510+2.6%
P10$17.35$36,088--
P25$18.34$38,147--
P75$24.31$50,565--
P90$29.79$61,963--
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Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-3.8%
Slower than average
Annual openings
16K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
155K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
75K$43,010
Foundries
NAICS 331500
13K$47,300
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in Illinois?

The median (P50) annual salary for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Illinois is approximately $45,510, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 2.6% higher than the national median of $44,346. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in Illinois

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators51-2090View salary →First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers51-1011View salary →Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers51-9061View salary →Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers51-4121View salary →Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders51-9111View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
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About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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