What Does it Take to Be a Tool and Die Maker?
Career Description 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.
A Day in the Life of a Tool & Die Maker
- Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software.
- Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or rulers.
- Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
- Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products.
- Cut, shape, and trim blanks or blocks to specified lengths or shapes, using power saws, power shears, rules, and hand tools.
- Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Tool & Die Maker?
When polled, Tool and Die Makers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Related Job Titles
- Gauge Maker Apprentice
- Tool Maker Apprentice
- Bench Tool Maker
- Tool Mechanic
- Tool and Die Maker/Designer
What Kind of Tool & Die Maker Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 72,500 jobs in the United States for Tool and Die Maker. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Tool and Die Maker. There will be an estimated 6,000 positions for Tool & Die Maker per year.
The states with the most job growth for Tool & Die Maker are North Dakota, Idaho, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Tool & Die Maker
The salary for Tool and Die Makers ranges between about $32,660 and $76,900 a year.
Tool and Die Makers who work in Connecticut, Kansas, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tool and Die Makers make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,400 |
| Arizona | $53,270 |
| Arkansas | $44,000 |
| California | $57,190 |
| Colorado | $49,140 |
| Connecticut | $63,660 |
| Florida | $49,030 |
| Georgia | $50,680 |
| Idaho | $48,360 |
| Illinois | $53,730 |
| Indiana | $52,740 |
| Iowa | $49,690 |
| Kansas | $62,240 |
| Kentucky | $56,600 |
| Louisiana | $42,970 |
| Maine | $56,360 |
| Maryland | $56,770 |
| Massachusetts | $54,360 |
| Michigan | $53,220 |
| Minnesota | $58,380 |
| Mississippi | $46,480 |
| Missouri | $54,420 |
| Nebraska | $51,250 |
| Nevada | $57,790 |
| New Hampshire | $54,160 |
| New Jersey | $55,680 |
| New York | $53,290 |
| North Carolina | $49,780 |
| North Dakota | $55,680 |
| Ohio | $51,560 |
| Oklahoma | $57,860 |
| Oregon | $61,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,690 |
| Rhode Island | $52,340 |
| South Carolina | $52,440 |
| South Dakota | $42,460 |
| Tennessee | $46,490 |
| Texas | $50,340 |
| Utah | $55,510 |
| Vermont | $54,840 |
| Virginia | $53,770 |
| West Virginia | $55,580 |
| Wisconsin | $50,050 |
What Tools & Technology do Tool and Die Makers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tool and Die Makers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Bentley Microstation
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Autodesk Inventor
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- CNC Mastercam
- DP Technology ESPRIT
- Virtual Gibbs CADD/CAM
How do I Become a Tool & Die Maker?
Learn what Tool and Die Maker education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Tool & Die Maker?
Where Tool and Die Makers Work
Tool and Die Makers work in the following industries:
References:
Image Credit: US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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