Foundry Mold and Coremakers

Median salary

$48,110

Average salary

$49,860

Employment

12,790

Projected growth

25.9% decline

Annual openings

900

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Foundry Mold and Coremakers Do

Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

English Languageimportance 3.4/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.4/5
Production and Processingimportance 3.3/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.3/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.2/5
Physicsimportance 3.1/5
Designimportance 3.1/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.0/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.9/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.9/5
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4.7/5
Spend Time Standing4.6/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic97% skill match
Fence Erectors96% skill match
Tree Trimmers and Pruners95% skill match
Floor Sanders and Finishers95% skill match
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall95% skill match
Helpers--Production Workers95% skill match
Rock Splitters, Quarry95% skill match
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers94% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 2.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.6/5
Operation and Controlimportance 2.6/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.6/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 2.4/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.3/5
Coordinationimportance 2.3/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

CNC Software Mastercam
Inventory tracking software
Machine control software
PTC Creo Parametric

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance
Self-Control
Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
ArtisticLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where foundry mold and coremakers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).