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How Much Does a Tool and Die Maker Make?

A tool and die maker in the US earns a median salary of $64,050 a year, or $30.79 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $66,860, and the middle half earn between $51,490 and $78,770.

Median a year $64,050
Median an hour $30.79
Median a month $5,338
Average a year $66,860

Tool and die maker pay range

What tool and die makers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $44,680 $21.48
25th $51,490 $24.75
Median (50th) $64,050 $30.79
75th $78,770 $37.87
90th (top 10%) $92,680 $44.56

The median is 26% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 56,930 people work as tool and die makers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,232
Every two weeks
$2,463
Twice a month
$2,669
A month
$5,338

At the median salary, before tax.

Tool and die maker salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays tool and die makers the most, at $97,090 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $97,090 $109,390 1,510 After tax
Kansas $75,960 $83,890 660 After tax
Vermont $75,780 $69,300 140 After tax
Connecticut $75,520 $77,540 1,880 After tax
California $75,120 $77,030 1,790 After tax
New Jersey $73,770 $74,460 540 After tax
Oregon $73,660 $73,930 300 After tax
Maine $73,240 $79,910 80 After tax
New Hampshire $72,570 $69,910 250 After tax
North Dakota $72,320 $73,130 70 After tax
Minnesota $71,660 $71,020 1,150 After tax
New York $70,970 $68,080 1,270 After tax
Indiana $69,620 $68,050 4,090 After tax
Nebraska $68,930 $69,150 360 After tax
Massachusetts $68,680 $67,230 850 After tax
Michigan $68,670 $65,590 9,420 After tax
Kentucky $67,520 $66,570 1,900 After tax
Wisconsin $67,520 $68,120 2,450 After tax
Missouri $66,460 $60,810 1,280 After tax
Nevada $65,880 $61,350 220 After tax
Iowa $65,780 $65,000 760 After tax
Colorado $65,620 $63,800 160 After tax
Rhode Island $65,410 $63,430 260 After tax
South Carolina $65,260 $65,250 870 After tax
Virginia $64,970 $64,050 390 After tax
Maryland $63,950 $58,110 70 After tax
Florida $63,560 $63,890 440 After tax
Alabama $63,350 $64,800 690 After tax
Ohio $63,170 $62,280 5,520 After tax
Arizona $62,290 $59,140 310 After tax
Pennsylvania $61,690 $61,160 3,380 After tax
Georgia $61,500 $60,020 850 After tax
Tennessee $61,420 $60,760 2,930 After tax
Illinois $61,060 $61,170 5,220 After tax
North Carolina $60,950 $61,060 1,580 After tax
Oklahoma $60,820 $65,870 330 After tax
Utah $60,700 $56,740 270 After tax
Idaho $59,110 $57,800 50 After tax
South Dakota $58,480 $59,770 60 After tax
Texas $58,110 $55,470 1,710 After tax
Mississippi $57,860 $57,980 300 After tax
Arkansas $56,370 $56,840 290 After tax
New Mexico $52,930 $47,960 40 After tax
West Virginia $50,880 $46,190 40 After tax
Louisiana $50,380 $46,950 170 After tax
Puerto Rico $41,990 $37,820 340

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other production jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Tool and Die Makers” (SOC 51-4111). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a tool and die maker make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a tool and die maker is $30.79, and the average is $32.14. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $21.48 an hour and the top 10% over $44.56.

How much does a tool and die maker make a month?

At the median salary of $64,050, a tool and die maker earns about $5,338 a month before tax, or $2,463 every two weeks.

Which state pays tool and die makers the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a tool and die maker, at $97,090 a year. Next are Kansas and Vermont. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a tool and die maker?

The lowest-paid 10% of tool and die makers earn less than $44,680 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $51,490. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid tool and die makers make?

The top 10% earn more than $92,680 a year, and the top 25% more than $78,770.