Salary guide, May 2025
Foundry Molder / Melt Operator pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in the United States was $53,750 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $46,790 and $63,010.
Direct match · SOC 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
The Foundry Molder / Melt Operator title maps to the published occupation. The duties align, but BLS combines employers and industries.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39,240 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 | $77,530 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18.87 | $22.50 | $25.84 | $30.29 | $37.28 |
BLS estimated 416,210 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $54,590 | $47,870 to $62,630 | 3,510 | 0.46 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $49,930 | $46,670 to $60,310 | 2,520 | 0.65 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $50,200 | $45,940 to $59,630 | 2,020 | 0.53 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $56,940 | $47,190 to $60,980 | 1,090 | 0.55 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,680 | $52,790 to $75,930 | 5,780 | 0.23 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,680 | $52,790 to $75,930 | 5,780 | 0.23 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,630 | $46,180 to $62,670 | 10,620 | 0.98 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $52,650 | $46,270 to $61,750 | 9,320 | 0.77 |
Rank every metro for Foundry Molder / Melt Operator
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$99,570
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$99,570
- Chemical Manufacturing$76,240
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$76,240
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$72,840
- Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)$68,800
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$68,120
- Other Food Manufacturing$67,610
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing$67,540
- Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing$65,520
- Food Manufacturing$64,980
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$64,140
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$63,360
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing$63,360
- Grain and Oilseed Milling$63,100
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 274,710 | $46,560 | $51,210 | $60,920 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 112,520 | $46,470 | $50,870 | $60,450 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 70,020 | $46,540 | $50,640 | $60,410 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 63,880 | $47,530 | $53,660 | $61,020 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 63,500 | $46,560 | $51,100 | $61,980 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 56,750 | $47,520 | $53,680 | $61,000 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 25,910 | $46,290 | $50,870 | $59,990 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 22,560 | $46,190 | $49,340 | $56,790 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 15,760 | $46,570 | $52,280 | $61,120 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 14,960 | $46,790 | $52,240 | $61,110 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 14,470 | $40,180 | $47,300 | $54,890 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 14,370 | $50,580 | $62,470 | $66,960 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 7,520 | $44,640 | $50,700 | $61,010 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 5,830 | $46,700 | $51,580 | $59,810 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 4,840 | $39,080 | $47,400 | $59,210 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 4,330 | $46,070 | $49,890 | $57,980 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 4,160 | $54,690 | $64,140 | $78,700 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 3,480 | $41,670 | $47,860 | $51,660 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3,340 | $41,670 | $47,700 | $51,390 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 3,270 | $45,400 | $49,310 | $58,060 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 3,090 | $47,940 | $54,490 | $62,110 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 3,080 | $47,480 | $55,820 | $62,050 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 3,010 | $47,220 | $51,270 | $60,120 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 2,970 | $52,320 | $63,360 | $78,150 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 2,920 | $42,520 | $46,430 | $58,760 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 2,680 | $37,310 | $49,280 | $62,250 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 2,310 | $45,990 | $55,640 | $62,300 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 2,280 | $49,210 | $52,950 | $62,490 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 2,160 | $46,460 | $53,740 | $61,630 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,080 | $46,150 | $53,550 | $63,890 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 2,080 | $46,150 | $53,550 | $63,890 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 2,060 | $71,790 | $76,240 | $79,850 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 1,970 | $72,890 | $76,240 | $79,850 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 1,930 | $37,780 | $43,000 | $48,010 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 1,700 | $49,380 | $55,820 | $64,360 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 1,610 | $39,840 | $45,920 | $57,150 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 1,250 | $45,460 | $51,000 | $56,380 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 1,150 | $48,000 | $48,560 | $54,190 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 1,130 | $38,900 | $44,430 | $53,300 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 1,050 | $49,890 | $49,890 | $57,760 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 1,030 | $47,710 | $57,730 | $63,340 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 830 | $43,830 | $49,700 | $58,530 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 790 | $43,970 | $53,730 | $62,670 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 760 | $59,620 | $64,980 | $70,660 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 640 | $37,790 | $46,370 | $55,860 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 630 | $38,110 | $46,680 | $55,990 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 550 | $44,500 | $49,970 | $57,750 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 480 | $43,680 | $49,190 | $59,020 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 470 | $69,140 | $99,570 | $106,940 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 470 | $69,140 | $99,570 | $106,940 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 450 | $45,080 | $49,610 | $57,750 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 410 | $60,560 | $65,520 | $69,910 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 400 | $46,640 | $50,160 | $63,460 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 350 | $43,990 | $49,050 | $55,480 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 350 | $42,640 | $46,390 | $57,370 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 340 | $46,420 | $51,630 | $62,980 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 140 | $47,680 | $49,230 | $57,200 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 130 | $47,690 | $68,120 | $85,580 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 130 | $37,840 | $42,320 | $45,960 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 120 | $37,050 | $38,490 | $46,430 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 90 | $59,860 | $63,360 | $69,070 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 70 | $52,760 | $63,100 | $72,030 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 70 | $50,160 | $68,800 | $71,520 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 60 | $47,010 | $54,020 | $65,790 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 50 | $67,840 | $72,840 | $76,900 |
| 311700 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 50 | $59,800 | $61,400 | $62,580 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 40 | $40,490 | $45,260 | $51,590 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 30 | $52,980 | $67,610 | $83,540 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 30 | $61,750 | $67,540 | $78,980 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Foundry Molder / Melt Operator, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $45,580 | $51,000 | $61,610 |
| May 2025 | $46,790 | $53,750 | $63,010 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about the actual remit?
Write down who is accountable for molding or melt work in the foundry's actual process today. That explanation helps separate their capability from a team's success at molding or melt work in the foundry's actual process.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Foundry Molder / Melt Operator?
The median annual wage for Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in the United States was $53,750 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $46,790 and $63,010.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $39,240. 90% earned less than $77,530.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Foundry Molder / Melt Operator at a plant?
The Foundry Molder / Melt Operator title maps to the published occupation. The duties align, but BLS combines employers and industries. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 416,210 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
Production Welder (MIG) pay TIG Welder pay Code Welder (ASME / Pressure Vessel) pay Robotic Welding Technician pay Press Brake Operator pay Foundry Molder / Melt Operator pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Foundry Molder / Melt Operator recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
National industry statistics for Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing list a median of $99,570, while Chemical Manufacturing shows $76,240. These national figures are helpful for industry comparison, though they encompass all occupations within those classifications. In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, region, the median is $57,940 with a $24,990 middle-band width.
Manufacturing Headhunters assesses the Foundry Molder / Melt Operator under SOC 51-4121. This classification captures a range of production roles, including melting and molding, but BLS does not track foundry-specific certifications separately from other welding and brazing tasks. The national median for this occupation is $53,750 as of May 2025, showing an increase of $2,750 over the May 2024 figure of $51,000. The national P25 is $46,790 and the P75 is $63,010, which yields a middle-band width of $16,220.
National industry statistics for Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing list a median of $99,570, while Chemical Manufacturing shows $76,240. These national figures are helpful for industry comparison, though they encompass all occupations within those classifications. In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, region, the median is $57,940 with a $24,990 middle-band width. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, region features a median of $51,630 and a middle-band width of $16,490. These metros are selected based on high occupational employment levels, not local wage proximity to the role's specific foundry responsibilities.
The national P10 for this occupation is $39,240 and the P90 is $77,530. Because the Foundry Molder / Melt Operator role is mapped into the broader SOC 51-4121, recruiters must verify individual competency in metal preparation and mold conditions independently. Pay elements such as foundry heat premiums or specialized furnace certifications are not contained within these BLS figures. Hiring managers should note that the occupation-wide data obscures the specialized requirements of molten metal work, necessitating a review of candidate experience that aligns with specific furnace operations rather than assuming homogeneous work across the entire SOC title.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Does this data reflect specific melting furnace qualifications?
No, the SOC 51-4121 is a broad occupational code that does not distinguish by metal type, melting process, or mold type. These figures represent the aggregate of all occupations under the code.
How do regional employment factors affect this data?
Regions with high location quotients like Houston have more intense demand for roles under 51-4121. This often aligns with higher regional medians, but the data does not specifically measure foundry-molder shortages.
Are the figures based on individual or industry-wide reports?
The median figures are derived from national surveys conducted by the BLS. They reflect the aggregate of reported wages across all reporting firms within the SOC code.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4