What is a Tool and Die Maker?
Example of Tool & Die Maker Job 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.
List of Tool & Die Maker Job Duties
- Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products.
- Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.
- Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
- Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software.
- File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.
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Tool & Die Maker Needed Skills
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.
Types of Tool and Die Maker
- Tool Mechanic
- Hub Cutter
- Jig Maker
- Electronic Die Maker
- Die Sinker
Job Outlook for Tool and Die Makers
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. The BLS estimates 6,000 yearly job openings in this field.

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 typical yearly salary for Tool and Die Makers is somewhere between $32,660 and $76,900.

Tool and Die Makers who work in Connecticut, Kansas, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tool and Die Makers make in each U.S. state?
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 do Tool and Die Makers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Tool and Die Makers:
- 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
Becoming a Tool & Die Maker
What kind of Tool and Die Maker requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Tool and Die Makers Are Employed

Below are examples of industries where Tool and Die Makers work:

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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