Career Paths From Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Possible next moves, computed from skill overlap, O*NET occupational relatedness, preparation level, education, and pay — not a record of people who actually made these moves.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move92.7% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 6% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$47,180
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move92.8% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 3% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$45,760
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move90% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 8% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$47,720
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.5% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 4% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$46,330
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move89.9% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 10% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$48,750
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move93.3% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 19% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$52,800
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingLateral Move90.3% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$43,380
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Semiconductor Processing TechniciansLateral Move89.4% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Semiconductor Processing Technicians share a similar Transferable Skills profile (89% match). Semiconductor Processing Technicians sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 16% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$51,430
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasCareer Change91.9% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 36% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$60,190
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Crane and Tower OperatorsCareer Change93.5% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Crane and Tower Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (94% match). Crane and Tower Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Job Zone is higher (3 vs 2). Median salary is about 54% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$68,080
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
3
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsCareer Change90.9% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators share a similar Transferable Skills profile (91% match). Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 35% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$59,850
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and TendersLateral Move89.4% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders share a similar Transferable Skills profile (89% match). Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 7% lower.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$41,330
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except BrickmasonsCareer Change90.4% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons share a similar Transferable Skills profile (90% match). Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons is in a different occupational field, but draws on much of the same underlying skill set. Median salary is about 38% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$61,290
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move92.3% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic share a similar Transferable Skills profile (92% match). Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 11% higher.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$49,080
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodLateral Move92.8% skill match
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic and Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood share a similar Transferable Skills profile (93% match). Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits at a similar preparation level, so this would be more of a lateral move. Median salary is about 4% lower.
Current median salary
$44,350
Target median salary
$42,770
Current Job Zone
2
Target Job Zone
2

Computed from O*NET Transferable Skills, occupational relatedness and Job Zone data, plus BLS wage and projections data. Categories (Advancement / Lateral Move / Career Change) are derived algorithmically, not self-reported career histories.