Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
None
Long-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Tool and die makers work in a specialized career with a defined national footprint and a clear training path. National employment is 55,000, and typical entry into the field is through a postsecondary nondegree award, which can make this career accessible to people who prefer shorter, skills-focused education. The role draws on a mix of mechanical ability, fine motor skills, mathematics, and problem solving, so it can appeal to individuals who enjoy hands-on, precision-based work supported by analytical thinking. Nationally, projected employment growth is -10.8%, indicating a declining overall job count, but there are still 5,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing replacement needs. For people already in the trades or those comparing options such as machinists, computer numerically controlled tool operators, or model makers, metal and plastic, this occupation offers a specialized path that emphasizes detail orientation, creativity and innovation, and strong critical and analytical thinking skills.
Tool and die makers earn a national median annual salary of $63,180, with notable variation by state and metro area. Some locations offer substantially higher median pay. Washington stands out at the state level with a median salary of $109,390, while California reaches $77,030 and New York $68,080. Among metro areas, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA shows the highest listed median salary at $116,850, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $97,560 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $78,020. These differences highlight how pay can change significantly with geography. Because the occupation emphasizes skills such as mechanical ability, fine motor capability, and problem solving, individuals who build strong expertise in these areas may be better positioned to pursue roles in higher-paying regions and metro areas where median salaries exceed the national figure.
The employment outlook for tool and die makers shows a projected national growth rate of -10.8%, indicating a decline in overall employment levels. Despite this negative growth, there are still 5,000 annual openings, which suggests continuing demand driven by ongoing turnover and replacement needs. With 55,000 people employed nationally, the occupation retains a notable presence in the labor market even as total job counts are expected to contract. For prospective workers and career changers, this combination means opportunities are present but may be more competitive or concentrated. Evaluating local conditions, such as states and metro areas with higher opportunity scores, can be important when planning a career path. People considering similar occupations—such as machinists, computer numerically controlled tool operators, or patternmakers, metal and plastic—may want to compare the outlook and annual openings across these related paths when deciding where to focus their training and job search.
Geography plays a major role in tool and die maker opportunities, with clear differences across states and metro areas. At the state level, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highest by opportunity score. California and Washington combine relatively high median salaries ($77,030 and $109,390, respectively) with larger employment bases of 1,790 and 1,510. New York and Massachusetts also offer median salaries above the national figure, at $68,080 and $67,230. Colorado’s opportunity score of 56.97 reflects a smaller employment base of 160 alongside a median salary of $63,800 close to the national median. Top metro areas further refine the picture. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ holds the highest opportunity score at 77.27 with a median salary of $76,380. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA shows the highest listed metro median salary at $116,850, while San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reaches $97,560. These data suggest that both state and metro selection can significantly influence earnings and overall opportunity.
Tool and die makers typically enter the field with a postsecondary nondegree award, which centers on focused technical preparation rather than a longer degree program. This pathway can be suitable for individuals who want to move into a skilled trade through targeted training. Success in this occupation relies on a blend of hands-on and analytical strengths. Detail orientation, fine motor skills, and physical strength and stamina support the practical, physical aspects of the work. At the same time, strong mechanical skills, mathematics, science, and problem solving and decision making are important for handling technical challenges. Critical and analytical thinking and adaptability help workers respond to changing conditions and requirements, while creativity and innovation support developing and refining solutions. People considering related paths such as machinists, computer numerically controlled tool operators, or model makers, metal and plastic can use these skills as a guide when choosing education and training options aligned with this career cluster.
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