Tool and Die Makers Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Tool and Die Makers

51-4111

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.

Median annual wage

$64,050

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Projected change

-9.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Annual openings

4.3k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

National employment

56,930

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$64,050

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Mean annual wage

$66,860

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Hourly median wage

$30.79

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Hourly mean wage

$32.14

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

10th percentile annual wage

$44,680

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

25th percentile annual wage

$51,490

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

75th percentile annual wage

$78,770

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

90th percentile annual wage

$92,680

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

National employment

56,930

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4111

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

-9.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Average annual openings

4.3k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

On-the-job training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4111

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4.2 raw · CX scale
80% relative

Relative scale: 80% · raw 4.2 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Time pressure

4.3 raw · CX scale
82% relative

Relative scale: 82% · raw 4.29 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Spend time standing

4.1 raw · CX scale
78% relative

Relative scale: 78% · raw 4.13 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Exposed to contaminants

3.8 raw · CX scale
69% relative

Relative scale: 69% · raw 3.77 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1 raw · CX scale
0% relative

Relative scale: 0% · raw 1 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

4.3 raw · CX scale
83% relative

Relative scale: 83% · raw 4.32 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Active learning

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Critical thinking

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Reading comprehension

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Active listening

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Monitoring

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Mathematics

2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Relative scale: 41% · raw 2.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Speaking

2.8 raw · LV scale
39% relative

Relative scale: 39% · raw 2.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Writing

2.5 raw · LV scale
36% relative

Relative scale: 36% · raw 2.5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Dependability

2.6 raw · WI scale
94% relative

Relative scale: 94% · raw 2.62 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Attention to detail

3 raw · WI scale
100% relative

Relative scale: 100% · raw 3 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Stress tolerance

1 raw · WI scale
67% relative

Relative scale: 67% · raw 1 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

Cooperation

0.4 raw · WI scale
56% relative

Relative scale: 56% · raw 0.35 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4111.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 51-4111 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 51-4111 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 51-4111.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Tool and Die Makers vs Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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51-4081

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Median pay

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4081

Growth

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4081

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51-4023

Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.

Median pay

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4023

Growth

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4023

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51-4041

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Median pay

$58,750

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4041

Growth

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4041

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Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

51-4061

Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.

Median pay

$63,340

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4061

Growth

-17.3%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4061

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.