Coremakers

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, foundry mold and coremakers had median annual earnings of $32,680 in May 2015. Ten percent earned less than $22,370 annually, and 10 percent earned more than $47,700 per year. Earnings for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders were $20,000 for the lowest paid 10 percent and $47,130 for the highest, with a median of $29,340. Salaries are influenced by the worker's experience, the size of the employer, and the location of the foundry. Apprentices generally start with a lower pay rate than a skilled coremaker, with incremental raises as they become proficient in different skills. Most coremakers belong to unions, so their work hours, overtime pay, health insurance plans, and other fringe benefits are established by contract between the unions and the companies.