Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Detroit, MI
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $39,790 a year — 10% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,711 take-home, or $2,726 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,595
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,467
- Medicare (1.45%)$577
- Michigan income tax$1,440
- Take-home pay$32,711
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $955 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $31,756 ($2,646 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,200 | $16.92 | $29,218 | $2,435 |
| 25th percentile | $38,100 | $18.32 | $31,425 | $2,619 |
| Median (50th) | $39,790 | $19.13 | $32,711 | $2,726 |
| 75th percentile | $45,700 | $21.97 | $37,208 | $3,101 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $59,780 | $28.74 | $47,923 | $3,994 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $39,790 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic's $32,711 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,614 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Detroit, MI has 2.9× the national concentration of molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #4 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $45,590 | $36,700 | $35,426 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $47,960 | $39,165 | $34,487 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids, MI | $37,760 | $31,166 | $32,619 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $39,790 | $32,711 | $32,614 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $43,500 | $35,380 | $31,432 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →
About the job: molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -3.4% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $37,760
Frequently asked questions
How much does a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in Detroit, MI?
The median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $39,790 a year, or about $19.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,100 and $45,700.
What is a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $39,790 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $32,711 a year ($2,726 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,440 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Pay here is 10% below the national median of $44,350. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,614 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #4 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
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