Also called: Molders, Shapers, and Casters
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic build operation and control, operations monitoring and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Foundry Mold and Coremakers (92%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | 92% | $48,110 | +4% | None |
| 2 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 89% | $44,350 | −4% | None |
| 3 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 88% | $41,220 | −11% | None |
| 4 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | 87% | $51,330 | +11% | None |
| 5 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | 85% | $46,880 | +2% | None |
| 6 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | 83% | $54,430 | +18% | None |
| 7 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 82% | $46,550 | +1% | None |
| 8 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 82% | $61,290 | +33% | None |
| 9 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 81% | $43,960 | −5% | None |
| 10 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 80% | $46,350 | 0% | None |
Compared with Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic, median $46,170. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
92% skill match · $48,110 · +4% pay
Time Management
89% skill match · $44,350 · −4% pay
Installation · Repairing · Equipment Maintenance
88% skill match · $41,220 · −11% pay
Operations Monitoring · Troubleshooting
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Foundry Mold and Coremakers (92% skill match, median $48,110), Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (89% skill match, median $44,350) and Machine Feeders and Offbearers (88% skill match, median $41,220), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 19 pay more than molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+109%, $96,710), Riggers (+36%, $62,640) and Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (+34%, $61,770).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.