How to become a Metal Pourer or Caster

Official title: Pourers and Casters, Metal

Also called: Caster, Casting Machine Operator, Casting Operator, DC Caster (Direct Chill Caster), Die Cast Machine Operator, Die Casting Machine Operator, Iron Pourer, Melter, Metal Handler, Pourer

Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

Main tasks

• Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
• Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
• Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
• Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
• Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
• Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
• Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.
• Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.

How to become one

Metal and plastic workers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and receive 1 year of on-the-job training. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) tool programmers typically need postsecondary training.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $51,810 a year The middle half earn $45,190 to $61,700.
• About 4,600 people work in this job now, and about 4,300 are projected by 2035. (-5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
• Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Metal Pourer or Caster?

Metal and plastic workers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and receive 1 year of on-the-job training. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) tool programmers typically need postsecondary training.

How much does a Metal Pourer or Caster earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $51,810 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $45,190 to $61,700.

Is a Metal Pourer or Caster a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 4,600 to about 4,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Metal Pourer or Caster?

Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Metal Pourer or Caster?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.