SOC 51-4072 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Allentown
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Allentown, PA comes to $47,930 a year, ahead of the national median of $44,350 by 8.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -3.8%
- Openings per year
- 15,900
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Allentown, PA comes to $47,930 a year, ahead of the national median of $44,350 by 8.1%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $38,700 and $59,820. The lowest tenth earn under $35,230, while the highest tenth earn more than $60,170.
Employment stands at 850, or 2.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Reading leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $54,470. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 362nd of 516 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,230 | −20.6% |
| 25th | $38,700 | −12.7% |
| Median (50th) | $47,930 | +8.1% |
| 75th | $59,820 | +34.9% |
| 90th | $60,170 | +35.7% |
| Mean | $49,310 | +11.2% |
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading | $54,470 | 690 | |
| 2 | Lancaster | $48,780 | 440 | |
| 3 | Harrisburg | $46,960 | 140 | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | $46,510 | 1,150 | |
| 5 | York | $45,970 | 360 | |
| 6 | Pittsburgh | $45,570 | 800 | |
| 7 | Williamsport | $45,270 | 190 | |
| 8 | Scranton | $45,020 | 350 | |
| 9 | Gettysburg | $44,870 | 80 | |
| 10 | Erie | $36,530 | 860 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Allentown sit close to the national average, so $47,930 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$47,930as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$47,930US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $47,930 a year, 8.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,230 to $60,170 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 850 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Reading, at $54,470.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Allentown, PA?
The median annual wage is $47,930, or $23.04 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $44,350, so pay in Allentown, PA is 8.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Allentown, PA earns more than $60,170 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,230 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Reading, at $54,470 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 850 jobs in this occupation in Allentown, PA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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