Model Makers, Metal and Plastic pay in the U.S.
$68,570avg. a year
$32.97 an hour · 2,610 employed
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic in the U.S. earn an average of $68,570 a year and a median of $63,340. Pay is highest in California ($97,030) and lowest in North Carolina ($49,100).
$63,340Median pay
$32.97Average hourly
+18%Avg. pay since 2020
2,610Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for model makers, metal and plastic
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1260 jobs
California
$97,030
$46.65 an hour
2120 jobs
New York
$82,450
$39.64 an hour
350 jobs
Florida
$76,110
$36.59 an hour
4100 jobs
Massachusetts
$75,160
$36.13 an hour
5230 jobs
Texas
$74,440
$35.79 an hour
670 jobs
New Jersey
$68,850
$33.10 an hour
7710 jobs
Michigan
$66,770
$32.10 an hour
840 jobs
Pennsylvania
$63,870
$30.71 an hour
940 jobs
Iowa
$61,710
$29.67 an hour
1060 jobs
Utah
$60,480
$29.08 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $60k$60k–$64k$64k–$75k$75k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,390 | $47.30 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $74,150 | $35.65 |
Related jobs
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,760
- Machinists$59,320
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,430
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,960
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,030
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,170
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $97,030 | $92,960 | 260 |
| Florida | $76,110 | $79,930 | 50 |
| Illinois | $60,260 | $68,890 | – |
| Indiana | $59,390 | $62,620 | 50 |
| Iowa | $61,710 | $61,550 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $75,160 | $67,830 | 100 |
| Michigan | $66,770 | $60,540 | 710 |
| New Jersey | $68,850 | $72,340 | 70 |
| New York | $82,450 | $77,710 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $49,100 | $45,760 | – |
| Ohio | $59,510 | $60,880 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,870 | $52,990 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $54,510 | $55,560 | 40 |
| Texas | $74,440 | $65,920 | 230 |
| Utah | $60,480 | $53,650 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
$74,150
490 jobsLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$98,390
120 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do model makers, metal and plastic make?
The average is $68,570 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $63,340 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $32.97, and the median is $30.45 an hour.
Which state pays model makers, metal and plastic the most?
California, with an average of $97,030 a year. The best-paying metro area is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $98,390.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,760 a year, and the top 10% earn over $99,010.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-4061. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.