Mold finisher vs molder apprentice

The differences between mold finishers and molder apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a molder apprentice has an average salary of $36,859, which is higher than the $32,802 average annual salary of a mold finisher.

The top three skills for a mold finisher include hand tools, MIG and CNC. The most important skills for a molder apprentice are plastic injection, mold components, and grinders.

Mold finisher vs molder apprentice overview

	Mold Finisher	Molder Apprentice
Yearly salary	$32,802	$36,859
Hourly rate	$15.77	$17.72
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	2,791	6,117
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 56%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Mold finisher vs molder apprentice salary

Mold finishers and molder apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mold Finisher	Molder Apprentice
Average salary	$32,802	$36,859
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $45,000	Between $26,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between mold finisher and molder apprentice education

There are a few differences between a mold finisher and a molder apprentice in terms of educational background:

	Mold Finisher	Molder Apprentice
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Mold finisher vs molder apprentice demographics

Here are the differences between mold finishers' and molder apprentices' demographics:

	Mold Finisher	Molder Apprentice
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6%	Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between mold finisher and molder apprentice duties and responsibilities

Mold finisher example responsibilities.

Operate CNC mills and lathes.
Perform light construction demo upon approval.Set up air movers and/or dehumidifiers and monitor daily.
Fabricate many different models of telescopic booms for utility forklifts.

Molder apprentice example responsibilities.

experience achieving A1 finishes in various soft and harden tool steels.
Integrate technology into curriculum, supplementing class lectures and developing student's researching skills and internet and PowerPoint proficiency.
Remove and install custom size vinyl replacement windows for residential homes and commercial

Mold finisher vs molder apprentice skills

Common mold finisher skills

Hand Tools, 83%
MIG, 10%
CNC, 7%

Common molder apprentice skills

Plastic Injection, 54%
Mold Components, 19%
Grinders, 11%
CNC Machines, 10%
Manual Lathes, 6%

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs