Tool and Die Makers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-4111 · O*NET 51-4111.00
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.
Tool and Die Makers fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Tool and Die Makers earn a median salary of $63,180 per year, ranking in the top 42% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -10.8% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do tool and die makers earn?
The median annual wage for tool and die makers is $63,180. That puts tool and die makers at #339 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $44,200 |
| 25th percentile | $51,200 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $63,180 |
| 75th percentile | $77,430 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $87,660 |
| Median hourly wage | $30.38/hr |
Is tool and die makers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for tool and die makers is -10.8%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 55K positions in 2024 to 49K in 2034, a net change of -6K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do tool and die makers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working tool and die makers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.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.
- 2.Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly.
- 3.Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- 4.Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
- 5.Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
- 6.Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
- 7.Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
- 8.Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
Top skills for tool and die makers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become tool and die maker?
Tool and Die Makers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about tool and die makers
What is the median salary for tool and die makers?
The median annual salary for tool and die makers is $63,180 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is tool and die makers a growing career?
BLS projects -10.8% growth for tool and die makers from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become tool and die maker?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to tool and die makers?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.