Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic and Machine Feeders and Offbearers on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | Machine Feeders and Offbearers |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $45,690 | $39,700 |
| Employment | 34,750 | 46,690 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | About average (+6.2%) | Declining (-13.0%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 5,500 | 4,700 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Low · 28th pct | Low · 3rd pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 29th pct · 18% of tasks | 8th pct · 12% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | — | — |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | No |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Arm-Hand Steadiness, Manual Dexterity, Finger Dexterity, Production and Processing, Control Precision, Near Vision, Oral Comprehension, Selective Attention, Multilimb Coordination, Mechanical, Operation and Control, Deductive Reasoning, Information Ordering, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Operations Monitoring, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Category Flexibility, Rate Control, Reaction Time, Trunk Strength, Far Vision, Speech Recognition, Speech Clarity, Speaking, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Perceptual Speed, Static Strength, English Language.
Specific to Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Inductive Reasoning
- Extent Flexibility
- Administration and Management
- Visualization
- Visual Color Discrimination
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
Specific to Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Mathematics
- Flexibility of Closure
- Troubleshooting
- Written Expression
- Wrist-Finger Speed
- Auditory Attention
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Spreadsheet software , Office suite software , Electronic mail software , Time accounting software .
Specific to Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Specific to Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic or Machine Feeders and Offbearers — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Foundry Mold and Coremakers
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Machine Feeders and Offbearers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/molders-shapers-and-casters-except-metal-and-plastic-vs-machine-feeders-and-offbearers
Singulariki. (2026). Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Machine Feeders and Offbearers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/molders-shapers-and-casters-except-metal-and-plastic-vs-machine-feeders-and-offbearers
@misc{singulariki-molders-shapers-and-casters-except-metal-and-plastic-vs-machine-feeders-and-offbearers,
title = {Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic vs Machine Feeders and Offbearers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/molders-shapers-and-casters-except-metal-and-plastic-vs-machine-feeders-and-offbearers}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.