Tool and die makers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $64,050 | $30.79 |
| Mean (average) | $66,860 | $32.14 |
| 90th percentile | $92,680 | $44.56 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Tool and die makers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 46 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,800 | $45,520 | $80,430 | 690 | 0.89 |
| Arizona | $59,140 | $38,720 | $87,200 | 310 | 0.26 |
| Arkansas | $56,840 | $30,830 | $76,890 | 290 | 0.61 |
| California | $77,030 | $45,710 | $104,260 | 1,790 | 0.27 |
| Colorado | $63,800 | $43,540 | $94,110 | 160 | 0.15 |
| Connecticut | $77,540 | $47,770 | $100,200 | 1,880 | 3.03 |
| Florida | $63,890 | $45,570 | $79,750 | 440 | 0.12 |
| Georgia | $60,020 | $44,920 | $78,810 | 850 | 0.48 |
| Idaho | $57,800 | $38,020 | $78,640 | 50 | 0.15 |
| Illinois | $61,170 | $39,490 | $82,520 | 5,220 | 2.34 |
| Indiana | $68,050 | $46,810 | $92,940 | 4,090 | 3.49 |
| Iowa | $65,000 | $51,540 | $80,170 | 760 | 1.32 |
| Kansas | $83,890 | $51,350 | $92,670 | 660 | 1.25 |
| Kentucky | $66,570 | $46,570 | $90,150 | 1,900 | 2.59 |
| Louisiana | $46,950 | $40,200 | $62,240 | 170 | 0.24 |
| Maine | $79,910 | $50,510 | $87,870 | 80 | 0.33 |
| Maryland | $58,110 | $37,110 | $81,120 | 70 | 0.07 |
| Massachusetts | $67,230 | $47,200 | $93,810 | 850 | 0.64 |
| Michigan | $65,590 | $46,930 | $92,910 | 9,420 | 5.84 |
| Minnesota | $71,020 | $49,510 | $93,230 | 1,150 | 1.06 |
| Mississippi | $57,980 | $40,090 | $76,540 | 300 | 0.7 |
| Missouri | $60,810 | $39,560 | $94,550 | 1,280 | 1.19 |
| Nebraska | $69,150 | $49,680 | $83,140 | 360 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | $61,350 | $46,580 | $81,560 | 220 | 0.39 |
| New Hampshire | $69,910 | $52,000 | $93,480 | 250 | 0.99 |
| New Jersey | $74,460 | $48,890 | $96,960 | 540 | 0.35 |
| New Mexico | $47,960 | $40,260 | $79,040 | 40 | 0.12 |
| New York | $68,080 | $48,700 | $94,730 | 1,270 | 0.36 |
| North Carolina | $61,060 | $43,770 | $79,180 | 1,580 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | $73,130 | $60,330 | $82,270 | 70 | 0.45 |
| Ohio | $62,280 | $42,080 | $84,840 | 5,520 | 2.72 |
| Oklahoma | $65,870 | $36,110 | $80,730 | 330 | 0.52 |
| Oregon | $73,930 | $44,780 | $110,590 | 300 | 0.41 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,160 | $46,010 | $78,090 | 3,380 | 1.52 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,820 | $29,200 | $57,490 | 340 | 0.99 |
| Rhode Island | $63,430 | $43,750 | $83,520 | 260 | 1.43 |
| South Carolina | $65,250 | $41,920 | $80,990 | 870 | 1.03 |
| South Dakota | $59,770 | $43,830 | $69,940 | 60 | 0.36 |
| Tennessee | $60,760 | $45,600 | $81,390 | 2,930 | 2.44 |
| Texas | $55,470 | $36,350 | $85,500 | 1,710 | 0.33 |
| Utah | $56,740 | $44,950 | $84,120 | 270 | 0.43 |
| Vermont | $69,300 | $50,480 | $106,640 | 140 | 1.22 |
| Virginia | $64,050 | $47,400 | $86,880 | 390 | 0.26 |
| Washington | $109,390 | $58,560 | $116,850 | 1,510 | 1.16 |
| West Virginia | $46,190 | $35,410 | $65,840 | 40 | 0.17 |
| Wisconsin | $68,120 | $46,940 | $81,670 | 2,450 | 2.27 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for tool and die makers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for tool and die makers
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Tool and Die Technology/Technician CIP 48.0507
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.
- Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
- Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
- Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
- Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
- Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
- Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- Autodesk Inventor
- CNC Mastercam
- Cimatron CimatronE Master
- DP Technology ESPRIT
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Equipment Selection, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Die Machinist, Die Repair Laborer, Die Repair Technician (Die Repair Tech), Jig and Fixture Repairer, Tool and Die Machinist, Tool and Die Maker, Tool and Fixture Specialist, Tool Maker, Tool Repairer, Trim Die Maker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do tool and die makers make?
The national median annual wage for tool and die makers was $64,050 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,680 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $92,680. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do tool and die makers need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is tool and die makers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of tool and die makers to change -9.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay tool and die makers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($109,390), Kansas ($83,890), Maine ($79,910). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.