Occupation overview

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for model makers, metal and plastic is $63,340, or $30.45 per hour. About 2,610 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $92,960 in California to $45,760 in North Carolina.

Median annual
$63,340
Median hourly
$30.45
Entry level (P10)
$39,760
Top 10% (P90)
$99,010
Employment
2,610
States covered
15

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$39,760
$47,360
$63,340
$86,740
$39,760$63,340$99,010
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $63,340.

Salary by state

All 15 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1California$92,960$44.692600.85
2Florida$79,930$38.43500.31
3New York$77,710$37.361200.71
4New Jersey$72,340$34.78700.96
5Illinois$68,890$33.12——
6Massachusetts$67,830$32.611001.62
7Texas$65,920$31.692300.98
8Indiana$62,620$30.11500.97
9Iowa$61,550$29.59401.71
10Ohio$60,880$29.27600.66
11Michigan$60,540$29.117109.64
12Rhode Island$55,560$26.71405.13
13Utah$53,650$25.79602.12
14Pennsylvania$52,990$25.48400.38
15North Carolina$45,760$22.00——

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do model makers, metal and plastic make?

The median annual wage for model makers, metal and plastic in the United States is $63,340, or $30.45 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,760, and the top 10% earn $99,010.

How many model makers, metal and plastic are employed in the U.S.?

About 2,610 people work as model makers, metal and plastic nationwide.

Which state pays model makers, metal and plastic the most?

California pays the most at a median of $92,960, followed by Florida ($79,930) and New York ($77,710).

Which state pays model makers, metal and plastic the least?

North Carolina has the lowest median at $45,760.

Where are model makers, metal and plastic jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Michigan at 9.64×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes