Tool and Die Makers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-4111 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$64,043
$30.79/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Tool and Die Makers is $64,043 per year ($30.79/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $51,480 and $78,770 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $92,685 per year. There are approximately 56,930 tool and die makers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-10.8%
Much slower than average
Annual openings
5K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
55K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing
NAICS 333500
10K
$61,910
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336300
9K
$72,840
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)
NAICS 3320A1
8K
$63,430
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
4K
$61,670
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336400
3K
$84,840
Wage range across top 5 industries: $61,670 to $84,840 (38% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$21.48
$44,678
P25
$24.75
$51,480
P50MEDIAN
$30.79
$64,043
P75
$37.87
$78,770
P90
$44.56
$92,685
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average tool and die makers salary?
The national median salary for Tool and Die Makers is $64,043 per year ($30.79/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $51,480 and $78,770 annually.
How much do top-earning tool and die makers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Tool and Die Makers is $92,685 per year ($44.56/hr). The 75th percentile is $78,770 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for tool and die makers?
Entry-level Tool and Die Makers (10th percentile) earn approximately $44,678 per year ($21.48/hr). The 25th percentile is $51,480 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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