51 Series · SOC 51-4111

Tool and Die Makers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$64,050
Median / year
$92,680
Top 10% earn
-10.8%
Growth '23–'33
56,930
US workers

Tool and Die Makers earn a median of $64,050 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $64,050, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $44,680 (10th percentile) to $92,680 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 56,930 US workers. Washington pays the most ($109,390), since pay varies by state and metro area.

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Tool and Die Makers earn a median of $64,050, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 55% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #11 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 10.8% by 2033.

$64,050
Median annual wage
Top 45%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#11 of 105
in Production
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $109,390. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.

Tool and Die Makers (SOC 51-4111) pays a national median of $64,050 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $44,680 at the 10th percentile to $92,680 at the 90th, with a mean of $66,860 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 56,930 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 229 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -10.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Postsecondary nondegree award and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $109,390, which is +71% above the national figure. The top metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $116,850 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 56,930 jobs Median $64,050/yr

Median Salary

$64,050

per year

Median Hourly

$30.79/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$66,860

average

Employment

56,930

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Tool and Die Makers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$64,050 Top 45% higher than 55% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Tool and Die Makers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Tool and Die Makers sits on the slower-growing side at -10.8% growth and $64,050 median pay.

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Tool and Die Makers sits on the slower-growing side at -10.8% growth and $64,050 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Tool and Die Makers sits on the slower-growing side at -10.8% growth and $64,050 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-10.8%

Declining

Annual Openings

4,700

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Postsecondary nondegree award

On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Tool and Die Makers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.3
Operation and Control 3.3
Quality Control Analysis 3.3
Critical Thinking 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Equipment Selection 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Time Management 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Active Learning 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Mechanical 4.5
Mathematics 3.5
Production and Processing 3.5
Design 3.4
English Language 3.0
Engineering and Technology 2.9
Education and Training 2.8
Computers and Electronics 2.6
Customer and Personal Service 2.4
Administration and Management 2.3

Key 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.
  • File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.
  • Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$44,680$51,490$64,050$78,770$92,680
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$21.48$24.75$30.79$37.87$44.56
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$44,680

25th Percentile

$51,490

Median

$64,050

75th Percentile

$78,770

90th Percentile

$92,680

Salary by State

View all 46 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $109,390 +71% above national
2 Kansas $83,890 +31% above national
3 Maine $79,910 +25% above national
4 Connecticut $77,540 +21% above national
5 California $77,030 +20% above national
6 New Jersey $74,460 +16% above national
7 Oregon $73,930 +15% above national
8 North Dakota $73,130 +14% above national
9 Minnesota $71,020 +11% above national
10 New Hampshire $69,910 +9% above national
11 Vermont $69,300 +8% above national
12 Nebraska $69,150 +8% above national
13 Wisconsin $68,120 +6% above national
14 New York $68,080 +6% above national
15 Indiana $68,050 +6% above national
16 Massachusetts $67,230 +5% above national
17 Kentucky $66,570 +4% above national
18 Oklahoma $65,870 +3% above national
19 Michigan $65,590 +2% above national
20 South Carolina $65,250 +2% above national
21 Iowa $65,000 +1% above national
22 Alabama $64,800 +1% above national
23 Virginia $64,050 same as national
24 Florida $63,890 same as national
25 Colorado $63,800 same as national
26 Rhode Island $63,430 1% below national
27 Ohio $62,280 3% below national
28 Nevada $61,350 4% below national
29 Illinois $61,170 4% below national
30 Pennsylvania $61,160 5% below national
31 North Carolina $61,060 5% below national
32 Missouri $60,810 5% below national
33 Tennessee $60,760 5% below national
34 Georgia $60,020 6% below national
35 South Dakota $59,770 7% below national
36 Arizona $59,140 8% below national
37 Maryland $58,110 9% below national
38 Mississippi $57,980 9% below national
39 Idaho $57,800 10% below national
40 Arkansas $56,840 11% below national
41 Utah $56,740 11% below national
42 Texas $55,470 13% below national
43 New Mexico $47,960 25% below national
44 Louisiana $46,950 27% below national
45 West Virginia $46,190 28% below national
46 Puerto Rico $37,820 41% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 229 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $116,850 +82% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $97,560 +52% above national
3 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $87,240 +36% above national
4 Kansas City, MO-KS $85,740 +34% above national
5 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $85,010 +33% above national
6 Lima, OH $84,730 +32% above national
7 Wichita, KS $83,890 +31% above national
8 Lexington-Fayette, KY $83,510 +30% above national
9 Stockton-Lodi, CA $82,820 +29% above national
10 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $82,210 +28% above national
11 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $81,510 +27% above national
12 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $80,060 +25% above national
13 Lincoln, NE $80,030 +25% above national
14 Portland-South Portland, ME $79,910 +25% above national
15 Ogden, UT $79,480 +24% above national
16 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $79,020 +23% above national
17 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $78,960 +23% above national
18 Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $78,280 +22% above national
19 Burlington, NC $78,140 +22% above national
20 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $78,060 +22% above national
21 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $78,020 +22% above national
22 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $77,780 +21% above national
23 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $77,620 +21% above national
24 New Haven, CT $77,410 +21% above national
25 Savannah, GA $77,040 +20% above national
26 Connecticut nonmetropolitan area $76,590 +20% above national
27 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $76,420 +19% above national
28 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $76,380 +19% above national
29 Sheboygan, WI $75,490 +18% above national
30 Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $75,300 +18% above national
31 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $75,250 +17% above national
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $74,840 +17% above national
33 Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $74,820 +17% above national
34 Jackson, MS $74,560 +16% above national
35 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $74,320 +16% above national
36 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $74,070 +16% above national
37 Oklahoma City, OK $73,760 +15% above national
38 Jacksonville, FL $73,250 +14% above national
39 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $73,170 +14% above national
40 East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $73,130 +14% above national
41 Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $73,130 +14% above national
42 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $73,120 +14% above national
43 Huntsville, AL $73,050 +14% above national
44 Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area $73,050 +14% above national
45 Appleton, WI $73,010 +14% above national
46 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $72,390 +13% above national
47 Saginaw, MI $71,910 +12% above national
48 Columbus, IN $71,180 +11% above national
49 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $71,070 +11% above national
50 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $70,960 +11% above national
51 Columbia, SC $70,620 +10% above national
52 Bowling Green, KY $69,790 +9% above national
53 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $69,690 +9% above national
54 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $69,620 +9% above national
55 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $69,570 +9% above national
56 Bay City, MI $69,240 +8% above national
57 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $69,210 +8% above national
58 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $68,290 +7% above national
59 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $68,120 +6% above national
60 Richmond, VA $68,000 +6% above national
61 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $67,840 +6% above national
62 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $67,830 +6% above national
63 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $67,650 +6% above national
64 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $67,530 +5% above national
65 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $67,130 +5% above national
66 Binghamton, NY $66,880 +4% above national
67 Tulsa, OK $66,700 +4% above national
68 Rochester, MN $66,680 +4% above national
69 Toledo, OH $66,630 +4% above national
70 Omaha, NE-IA $66,420 +4% above national
71 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $66,340 +4% above national
72 York-Hanover, PA $66,320 +4% above national
73 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $66,240 +3% above national
74 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $66,190 +3% above national
75 Manchester-Nashua, NH $66,140 +3% above national
76 Madison, WI $65,900 +3% above national
77 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $65,660 +3% above national
78 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $65,590 +2% above national
79 Sandusky, OH $65,460 +2% above national
80 Reading, PA $65,440 +2% above national
81 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $65,230 +2% above national
82 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $64,920 +1% above national
83 Birmingham, AL $64,800 +1% above national
84 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $64,650 +1% above national
85 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $64,530 +1% above national
86 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $64,460 +1% above national
87 Decatur, IL $64,410 +1% above national
88 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $64,400 +1% above national
89 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $64,370 same as national
90 Bloomington, IL $64,320 same as national
91 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $64,270 same as national
92 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $64,270 same as national
93 Green Bay, WI $64,110 same as national
94 Cleveland, OH $64,070 same as national
95 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $64,050 same as national
96 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $64,020 same as national
97 Syracuse, NY $64,010 same as national
98 West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $63,950 same as national
99 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $63,910 same as national
100 Corpus Christi, TX $63,890 same as national
101 Erie, PA $63,740 same as national
102 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $63,720 1% below national
103 Owensboro, KY $63,720 1% below national
104 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $63,580 1% below national
105 Wausau, WI $63,570 1% below national
106 Jackson, MI $63,410 1% below national
107 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $63,390 1% below national
108 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $63,330 1% below national
109 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $63,330 1% below national
110 Dubuque, IA $63,290 1% below national
111 Traverse City, MI $63,260 1% below national
112 Eau Claire, WI $63,250 1% below national
113 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $63,240 1% below national
114 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $63,230 1% below national
115 Knoxville, TN $63,180 1% below national
116 Cedar Rapids, IA $63,140 1% below national
117 Peoria, IL $62,950 2% below national
118 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $62,830 2% below national
119 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $62,690 2% below national
120 Springfield, MA $62,620 2% below national
121 Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area $62,610 2% below national
122 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $62,560 2% below national
123 Kenosha, WI $62,550 2% below national
124 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $62,540 2% below national
125 Battle Creek, MI $62,440 3% below national
126 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $62,440 3% below national
127 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $62,240 3% below national
128 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $62,160 3% below national
129 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $62,040 3% below national
130 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $61,960 3% below national
131 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $61,940 3% below national
132 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $61,830 3% below national
133 Montgomery, AL $61,790 4% below national
134 Worcester, MA $61,770 4% below national
135 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $61,760 4% below national
136 Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $61,740 4% below national
137 Chattanooga, TN-GA $61,720 4% below national
138 Niles, MI $61,690 4% below national
139 Janesville-Beloit, WI $61,670 4% below national
140 Lebanon, PA $61,570 4% below national
141 Akron, OH $61,440 4% below national
142 Spartanburg, SC $61,420 4% below national
143 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $61,370 4% below national
144 Reno, NV $61,350 4% below national
145 Fort Wayne, IN $61,340 4% below national
146 Fond du Lac, WI $61,330 4% below national
147 Muncie, IN $61,310 4% below national
148 Ann Arbor, MI $61,250 4% below national
149 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $61,180 4% below national
150 Pittsburgh, PA $61,160 5% below national
151 Greensboro-High Point, NC $61,090 5% below national
152 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $61,020 5% below national
153 Asheville, NC $60,950 5% below national
154 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $60,940 5% below national
155 Evansville, IN $60,890 5% below national
156 Monroe, MI $60,840 5% below national
157 Rochester, NY $60,820 5% below national
158 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $60,760 5% below national
159 Raleigh-Cary, NC $60,590 5% below national
160 Youngstown-Warren, OH $60,570 5% below national
161 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $60,480 6% below national
162 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $60,460 6% below national
163 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $60,420 6% below national
164 Decatur, AL $60,410 6% below national
165 Lancaster, PA $60,280 6% below national
166 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $60,260 6% below national
167 Springfield, OH $60,220 6% below national
168 Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $60,110 6% below national
169 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $60,090 6% below national
170 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $59,970 6% below national
171 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $59,910 6% below national
172 East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $59,770 7% below national
173 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $59,730 7% below national
174 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $59,700 7% below national
175 East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $59,650 7% below national
176 St. Louis, MO-IL $59,610 7% below national
177 Columbus, OH $59,350 7% below national
178 Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $59,250 7% below national
179 Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $59,160 8% below national
180 Canton-Massillon, OH $59,000 8% below national
181 Mansfield, OH $58,710 8% below national
182 Springfield, MO $58,540 9% below national
183 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $58,480 9% below national
184 East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $58,320 9% below national
185 Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $58,120 9% below national
186 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $58,110 9% below national
187 Champaign-Urbana, IL $58,000 9% below national
188 South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $57,740 10% below national
189 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $57,660 10% below national
190 Gainesville, GA $57,560 10% below national
191 Winston-Salem, NC $57,510 10% below national
192 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $57,470 10% below national
193 Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $57,420 10% below national
194 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $57,400 10% below national
195 Jackson, TN $57,240 11% below national
196 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $57,140 11% below national
197 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $56,940 11% below national
198 Johnson City, TN $56,460 12% below national
199 Joplin, MO-KS $55,930 13% below national
200 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $55,750 13% below national
201 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $55,370 14% below national
202 Tucson, AZ $54,920 14% below national
203 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $54,630 15% below national
204 Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area $54,460 15% below national
205 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $53,720 16% below national
206 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $53,330 17% below national
207 Rockford, IL $52,900 17% below national
208 Modesto, CA $52,300 18% below national
209 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $51,750 19% below national
210 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $51,740 19% below national
211 North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $51,000 20% below national
212 South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $50,980 20% below national
213 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $50,940 20% below national
214 Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area $50,940 20% below national
215 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $50,410 21% below national
216 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $50,320 21% below national
217 Williamsport, PA $49,910 22% below national
218 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $49,690 22% below national
219 South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $48,870 24% below national
220 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $48,730 24% below national
221 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $48,680 24% below national
222 Morristown, TN $48,400 24% below national
223 El Paso, TX $45,800 28% below national
224 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $42,320 34% below national
225 North Missouri nonmetropolitan area $39,560 38% below national
226 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $37,910 41% below national
227 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $37,800 41% below national
228 Ponce, PR $36,400 43% below national
229 North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $30,830 52% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Tool and Die Makers make?
The median annual salary for Tool and Die Makers is $64,050 ($30.79/hour). The salary range spans from $44,680 at the 10th percentile to $92,680 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Tool and Die Makers the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Tool and Die Makers at $109,390/year, which is +71% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Tool and Die Makers?
The typical entry-level education for Tool and Die Makers is Postsecondary nondegree award. On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Tool and Die Makers?
Tool and Die Makers has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 3.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.2 per 100 workers.
Is Tool and Die Makers a good career?
Employment for Tool and Die Makers is projected to decline 10.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 4,700 openings are projected each year.
How does Tool and Die Makers pay vary by state?
Tool and Die Makers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $109,390/year, while Texas pays the least at $55,470/year. BLS data covers 46 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Tool and Die Makers?
The highest-paying metro area for Tool and Die Makers is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $116,850/year. BLS reports wage data for 229 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Tool and Die Makers pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $78,770/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $109,390/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.