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.
National median · BLS
$64,050
▲ +1.38%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$66,860
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
56,930
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Tool and Die Makers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$44,680
25th
$51,490
Median (50th)
$64,050
75th
$78,770
90th — top pay
$92,680
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Tool and Die Makers
BLS projects employment of tool and die makers to decline 9.2% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 4,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
56,700 → 51,500
-5,200 jobs
Projected change
-9.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What tool and die makers do
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.
Also called
Tool and Die MachinistTool and Die MakerTool and Fixture SpecialistTool MakerDie MachinistDie Repair LaborerDie Repair Technician (Die Repair Tech)Jig and Fixture RepairerTool RepairerTrim Die Maker
More job titles for this occupation (53)
Bench Tool MakerBroach SetterCam MakerCarbide OperatorCarbide Tool MakerCutlery and Tools Saw MakerDie AssemblerDie BakerDie CutterDie DesignerDie FinisherDie MakerDie MechanicDie Set Up WorkerDie SetterDie SinkerDie Trouble ShooterDie Try Out WorkerDie-Casting and Plastic Molding Mold MakerDiecast and Plastic Mold MakerElectronic Die MakerFixture MakerForcer MakerGage MakerHub CutterJig Bore Tool MakerJig MakerJigmanJourneyman Tool and Die MakerKeller Machine OperatorMetal Die FinisherMetal Gauge MakerPaper Goods Die MakerPlastic Fixture BuilderPlastic Tool MakerSaw MakerSawsmithSilver Jewelry Die MakerStamping Bench Die MakerStamping Die MakerStamping Die Try-Out WorkerTap and Die Maker TechnicianTemplate Layout WorkerTool and Die AssemblerTool and Die TechnicianTool LiaisonTool MechanicTool Room Technician (Tool Room Tech)Tool Salvage WorkerTool Trouble ShooterTooling Technician (Tooling Tech)ToolsmithWire Drawing Die Maker
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Tool and Die Makers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $64,050.
