Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 51-4111

Tool and Die Makers

O*NET task statements lead this Tool and Die Makers card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Tool and Die Makers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators ($60K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Tool and Die Makers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-4111 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as ca…
  2. 2. Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bo…
  3. 3. Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications
  4. 4. Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies
  5. 5. Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders
  6. 6. Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects
  7. 7. Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance
  8. 8. Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates
  9. 9. File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together
  10. 10. Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders
  11. 11. Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or ru…
  12. 12. Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary

O*NET skills and knowledge for Tool and Die Makers

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-4111 - entity-keyed; sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.3
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.3
  3. 3. Quality Control Analysis 3.3
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.1
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.1
  6. 6. Equipment Selection 3.1
  7. 7. Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
  8. 8. Time Management 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.5
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.5
  3. 3. Production and Processing 3.5
  4. 4. Design 3.4
  5. 5. English Language 3.0
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 2.9
National median after O*NET task lead
$64,050
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as ca…
$64K
National median
↓ -11%
Growth 2024-2034
4,700
Annual openings
56,930
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Postsecondary nondegree award

Top Paying States for Tool and Die Makers

1. Kansas $83,890
2. Maine $79,910
3. Washington $109,390
4. Minnesota $71,020
5. North Dakota $73,130
6. New Hampshire $69,910
7. California $77,030
8. Oregon $73,930
9. Connecticut $77,540
10. New Jersey $74,460

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  2. 2. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  3. 3. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  4. 4. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators $60,020
  5. 5. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  6. 6. Power Plant Operators $102,040

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Tool and Die Makers (SOC 51-4111). The national OEWS median is $64,050 inside Production Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic. Lead published task: Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as ca….

Employment Projections expect -11% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 4,700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Kansas at $83,890. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

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Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034.

Dive into Tool and Die Makers in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in Kansas

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in Maine

Second-highest state pay

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer · $123K

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Lower-pay peer · $60K

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Tool and Die Makers full salary map

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do tool and die makers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Tool and Die Makers. Leading ones include: Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as ca…; Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bo…; 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. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for tool and die makers? ▼
For SOC 51-4111, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.3), Operation and Control (3.3), Quality Control Analysis (3.3), Critical Thinking (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Mathematics, Production and Processing. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How does Tool and Die Makers sit next to other Production Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic. Among those peers, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators holds the highest published national median ($122,890). Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators sits lower at $60,020. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Tool and Die Makers? ▼
The median salary for Tool and Die Makers is $64,050 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $44,680 (10th percentile) to $92,680 (90th percentile). For context beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Tool and Die Makers a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects -11% employment change for Tool and Die Makers from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 4,700 projected annual openings. This is declining relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a tool and die makers? ▼
BLS assigns Tool and Die Makers to Postsecondary nondegree award for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay tool and die makers the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Tool and Die Makers are Kansas ($83,890), Maine ($79,910), Washington ($109,390). The table does not identify why state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau