Tool and Die Makers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for tool and die makers in the U.S. is $64,050 ($30.79 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $64,050
- Mean annual wage
- $66,860
- Median hourly wage
- $30.79
- Employment
- 56,930
56,930 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 25th percentile | $51,490 | $24.75 |
| Median (50th) | $64,050 | $30.79 |
| 75th percentile | $78,770 | $37.87 |
| 90th percentile | $92,680 | $44.56 |
Highest-paying states for tool and die makers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $109,390 | 1,510 |
| Kansas | $83,890 | 660 |
| Maine | $79,910 | 80 |
| Connecticut | $77,540 | 1,880 |
| California | $77,030 | 1,790 |
| New Jersey | $74,460 | 540 |
| Oregon | $73,930 | 300 |
| North Dakota | $73,130 | 70 |
| Minnesota | $71,020 | 1,150 |
| New Hampshire | $69,910 | 250 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $46,190 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $46,950 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $47,960 median annual wage
- Texas: $55,470 median annual wage
- Utah: $56,740 median annual wage
About this occupation
Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.
Typical tasks
- Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
- Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
- Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.
- Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.
- Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 40.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 31.9% |
| Associate's degree | 19.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 3.2% |
| Master's degree | 0.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.