Foundry Mold and Coremakers
Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
What it pays
Foundry Mold and Coremakers earn a median of $23.13/hr — about $48,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.87/hr; the top 10% earn $30.12/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Foundry Mold and Coremakers earn a median of $23.13/hr — about $48,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.87/hr; the top 10% earn $30.12/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
- Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools.
- Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
- Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring.
- Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of foundry mold and coremakers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
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Quick questions
- How much does a foundry mold and coremaker make?
- The median pay is $23.13 per hour — roughly $48,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.87/hr (10th percentile) to $30.12/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a foundry mold and coremaker?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a foundry mold and coremaker actually do all day?
- Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections. Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools. Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.