SOC 51-4061 · Production Occupations
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, model makers, metal and plastic earned a median of $63,340 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 2,610 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $92,960 | $44.69 | 260 | 0.0 |
| Florida | $79,930 | $38.43 | 50 | 0.0 |
| New York | $77,710 | $37.36 | 120 | 0.0 |
| New Jersey | $72,340 | $34.78 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Illinois | $68,890 | $33.12 | Not published | Not published |
| Massachusetts | $67,830 | $32.61 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $65,920 | $31.69 | 230 | 0.0 |
| Indiana | $62,620 | $30.11 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Iowa | $61,550 | $29.59 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Ohio | $60,880 | $29.27 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Michigan | $60,540 | $29.11 | 710 | 0.2 |
| Rhode Island | $55,560 | $26.71 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Utah | $53,650 | $25.79 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,990 | $25.48 | 40 | 0.0 |
| North Carolina | $45,760 | $22.00 | Not published | Not published |
Pay by metro area
All 12 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $94,950 | $45.65 | 120 | 0.0 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $89,960 | $43.25 | 70 | 0.0 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,780 | $40.76 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $81,110 | $39.00 | 490 | 0.3 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,710 | $37.36 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Rochester, NY | $76,520 | $36.79 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $70,980 | $34.13 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $68,890 | $33.12 | Not published | Not published |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $58,500 | $28.13 | 60 | 0.1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $45,760 | $22.00 | Not published | Not published |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $44,220 | $21.26 | 70 | 0.1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Not published | Not published | 40 | 0.0 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.