SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-4111.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,680 | $3,723 | $859 | $21.48 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $51,490 | $4,291 | $990 | $24.75 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $64,050 | $5,338 | $1,232 | $30.79 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $78,770 | $6,564 | $1,515 | $37.87 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $92,680 | $7,723 | $1,782 | $44.56 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Tool and Die Makers is $64,050, which is 26% higher. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 56,930 jobs, it makes up about 3.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Tool and Die Makers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($109,390), Kansas ($83,890) and Maine ($79,910). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($37,820), West Virginia ($46,190) and Louisiana ($46,950). The most jobs were in Michigan (9,420), Ohio (5,520) and Illinois (5,220). The occupation is most concentrated in Michigan, where its share of all jobs is 5.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1,510 | $109,390 | $97,090 | $52.59 |
| Kansas | 660 | $83,890 | $75,960 | $40.33 |
| Maine | 80 | $79,910 | $73,240 | $38.42 |
| Connecticut | 1,880 | $77,540 | $75,520 | $37.28 |
| California | 1,790 | $77,030 | $75,120 | $37.04 |
| New Jersey | 540 | $74,460 | $73,770 | $35.80 |
| Oregon | 300 | $73,930 | $73,660 | $35.54 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $73,130 | $72,320 | $35.16 |
| Minnesota | 1,150 | $71,020 | $71,660 | $34.15 |
| New Hampshire | 250 | $69,910 | $72,570 | $33.61 |
| Vermont | 140 | $69,300 | $75,780 | $33.32 |
| Nebraska | 360 | $69,150 | $68,930 | $33.24 |
| Wisconsin | 2,450 | $68,120 | $67,520 | $32.75 |
| New York | 1,270 | $68,080 | $70,970 | $32.73 |
| Indiana | 4,090 | $68,050 | $69,620 | $32.72 |
| Massachusetts | 850 | $67,230 | $68,680 | $32.32 |
| Kentucky | 1,900 | $66,570 | $67,520 | $32.00 |
| Oklahoma | 330 | $65,870 | $60,820 | $31.67 |
| Michigan | 9,420 | $65,590 | $68,670 | $31.53 |
| South Carolina | 870 | $65,250 | $65,260 | $31.37 |
| Iowa | 760 | $65,000 | $65,780 | $31.25 |
| Alabama | 690 | $64,800 | $63,350 | $31.15 |
| Virginia | 390 | $64,050 | $64,970 | $30.79 |
| Florida | 440 | $63,890 | $63,560 | $30.71 |
| Colorado | 160 | $63,800 | $65,620 | $30.67 |
| Rhode Island | 260 | $63,430 | $65,410 | $30.49 |
| Ohio | 5,520 | $62,280 | $63,170 | $29.94 |
| Nevada | 220 | $61,350 | $65,880 | $29.49 |
| Illinois | 5,220 | $61,170 | $61,060 | $29.41 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,380 | $61,160 | $61,690 | $29.40 |
| North Carolina | 1,580 | $61,060 | $60,950 | $29.36 |
| Missouri | 1,280 | $60,810 | $66,460 | $29.24 |
| Tennessee | 2,930 | $60,760 | $61,420 | $29.21 |
| Georgia | 850 | $60,020 | $61,500 | $28.86 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $59,770 | $58,480 | $28.74 |
| Arizona | 310 | $59,140 | $62,290 | $28.44 |
| Maryland | 70 | $58,110 | $63,950 | $27.94 |
| Mississippi | 300 | $57,980 | $57,860 | $27.87 |
| Idaho | 50 | $57,800 | $59,110 | $27.79 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $56,840 | $56,370 | $27.33 |
| Utah | 270 | $56,740 | $60,700 | $27.28 |
| Texas | 1,710 | $55,470 | $58,110 | $26.67 |
| New Mexico | 40 | $47,960 | $52,930 | $23.06 |
| Louisiana | 170 | $46,950 | $50,380 | $22.57 |
| West Virginia | 40 | $46,190 | $50,880 | $22.21 |
| Puerto Rico | 340 | $37,820 | $41,990 | $18.18 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450 a year
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$68,120 a year
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$65,380 a year
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$63,870 a year
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic$63,340 a year
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers$62,750 a year
Common questions
How much do Tool and Die Makers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $64,050 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,680 and the highest-paid 10% more than $92,680.
How many people work as Tool and Die Makers?
About 56,930 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.