Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Illinois

Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Illinois earn the most in Peoria (average $51,530 a year) and the least in Rockford ($44,600), across the 4 Illinois metro areas we cover. Statewide, BLS puts the molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic average at $46,710 and the median at $45,500 for 10,680 workers. The U.S. average for this job is $45,960.

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic average salary by city in Illinois

Peoria$51,530
Chicago$46,980
Champaign$46,310
Rockford$44,600

Pay, take-home pay and cost of living

City	Average	Median	25th pct.	Take-home*	Cost of living
Peoria	$51,530	$56,720	$46,630	$41,175	91
Chicago	$46,980	$45,590	$38,940	$37,744	104
Champaign	$46,310	$46,600	$37,320	$37,239	93
Rockford	$44,600	$44,880	$36,930	$35,949	92

*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in other states

Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary by city and state

More about pay in Illinois

Sources and how to read this page

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-4072.
U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.

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