Foundry Mold and Coremakers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-4071 · O*NET 51-4071.00
Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
Foundry Mold and Coremakers fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Foundry Mold and Coremakers earn a median salary of $45,700 per year, ranking in the top 75% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -25.9% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do foundry mold and coremakers earn?
The median annual wage for foundry mold and coremakers is $45,700. That puts foundry mold and coremakers at #611 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $36,220 |
| 25th percentile | $39,370 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $45,700 |
| 75th percentile | $51,360 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,390 |
| Median hourly wage | $21.97/hr |
Is foundry mold and coremakers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for foundry mold and coremakers is -25.9%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 12K positions in 2024 to 9K in 2034, a net change of -3K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do foundry mold and coremakers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working foundry mold and coremakers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
- 2.Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
- 3.Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- 4.Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
- 5.Lift upper mold sections from lower sections, and remove molded patterns.
- 6.Cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds.
- 7.Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
- 8.Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces.
Top skills for foundry mold and coremakers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become foundry mold and coremaker?
Foundry Mold and Coremakers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about foundry mold and coremakers
What is the median salary for foundry mold and coremakers?
The median annual salary for foundry mold and coremakers is $45,700 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is foundry mold and coremakers a growing career?
BLS projects -25.9% growth for foundry mold and coremakers from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become foundry mold and coremaker?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to foundry mold and coremakers?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.