166 metro areas
Tool and Die Maker Salary by City (2026)
Tool and die makers earn the most in Seattle, WA, an average of $107,520 a year, against $66,860 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Seattle, WA ($96,750 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $66,860BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $107,520Seattle, WA
- Best after cost of living
- $96,750Seattle, WA
- Metro areas
- 166With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for tool and die makers
Top 10 metro areas
- Seattle, WA$107,520
- San Francisco, CA$90,670
- Albany, NY$83,490
- San Diego, CA$80,290
- Wichita, KS$80,080
- Bridgeport, CT$79,770
- Kansas City, MO-KS$78,730
- Buffalo, NY$78,620
- Lexington, KY$77,850
- Portland, OR-WA$77,730
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $107,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,670 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $83,490 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $80,290 |
| Wichita, KS | $80,080 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $79,770 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,730 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $78,620 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $77,850 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $77,730 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Seattle, WA$107,520 nominal$96,750
- Wichita, KS$80,080 nominal$90,030
- Lima, OH$77,690 nominal$86,640
- Kansas City, MO-KS$78,730 nominal$85,070
- Albany, NY$83,490 nominal$83,850
- Lexington, KY$77,850 nominal$83,810
- Buffalo, NY$78,620 nominal$82,030
- Lafayette, IN$74,170 nominal$79,390
- Des Moines, IA$72,700 nominal$79,280
- San Francisco, CA$90,670 nominal$78,430
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $96,750 |
| Wichita, KS | $90,030 |
| Lima, OH | $86,640 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $85,070 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $83,850 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $83,810 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $82,030 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $79,390 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $79,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,430 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Tool and Die Maker salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $107,520 | $89,360 | $116,440 | $96,750 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $90,670 | $59,220 | $106,160 | $78,430 |
| 3 | Albany, NY | $83,490 | $61,510 | $94,310 | $83,850 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | $80,290 | $49,900 | $95,240 | $71,760 |
| 5 | Wichita, KS | $80,080 | $67,410 | $86,320 | $90,030 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $79,770 | $55,490 | $91,710 | $74,650 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $78,730 | $54,020 | $90,900 | $85,070 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $78,620 | $55,660 | $89,940 | $82,030 |
| 9 | Lexington, KY | $77,850 | $53,640 | $89,790 | $83,810 |
| 10 | Portland, OR-WA | $77,730 | $54,040 | $89,380 | $73,730 |
| 11 | Lima, OH | $77,690 | $56,700 | $88,030 | $86,640 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $76,880 | $62,820 | $83,800 | $75,480 |
| 13 | Stockton, CA | $76,520 | $52,440 | $88,400 | $72,810 |
| 14 | New York, NY-NJ | $76,290 | $55,000 | $86,780 | $67,780 |
| 15 | Hartford, CT | $76,130 | $54,660 | $86,720 | $74,100 |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $75,550 | $50,290 | $88,000 | $66,530 |
| 17 | Ogden, UT | $75,420 | $60,300 | $82,870 | $75,160 |
| 18 | Waterbury, CT | $74,920 | $51,270 | $86,570 | $75,090 |
| 19 | Boston, MA-NH | $74,880 | $52,060 | $86,110 | $69,160 |
| 20 | New Haven, CT | $74,240 | $53,120 | $84,640 | $71,000 |
| 21 | Lafayette, IN | $74,170 | $59,950 | $81,180 | $79,390 |
| 22 | Norwich, CT | $73,150 | $50,860 | $84,140 | $72,830 |
| 23 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $73,070 | $55,220 | $81,850 | $69,710 |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $72,800 | $54,250 | $81,950 | $70,990 |
| 25 | Des Moines, IA | $72,700 | $60,860 | $78,520 | $79,280 |
| 26 | Sheboygan, WI | $72,050 | $61,510 | $77,250 | $76,640 |
| 27 | Bay City, MI | $71,950 | $47,690 | $83,890 | $78,270 |
| 28 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $71,640 | $56,990 | $78,850 | $73,150 |
| 29 | Lincoln, NE | $71,550 | $51,830 | $81,240 | $78,130 |
| 30 | Huntsville, AL | $71,160 | $57,820 | $77,710 | $76,460 |
| 31 | Detroit, MI | $71,120 | $51,540 | $80,770 | $70,910 |
| 32 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $71,010 | $52,960 | $79,910 | $76,290 |
| 33 | Manchester, NH | $70,680 | $56,490 | $77,670 | $66,900 |
| 34 | Charleston, SC | $70,530 | $60,420 | $75,520 | $69,860 |
| 35 | Saginaw, MI | $69,990 | $50,790 | $79,460 | $77,000 |
| 36 | Savannah, GA | $69,950 | $55,220 | $77,190 | $73,470 |
| 37 | Racine, WI | $69,910 | $54,310 | $77,580 | $72,850 |
| 38 | Jacksonville, FL | $69,850 | $53,870 | $77,730 | $70,210 |
| 39 | Denver, CO | $69,760 | $50,020 | $79,480 | $65,950 |
| 40 | Burlington, NC | $69,740 | $54,100 | $77,460 | $74,830 |
| 41 | Nashville, TN | $69,700 | $51,170 | $78,830 | $72,350 |
| 42 | Madison, WI | $69,410 | $50,690 | $78,620 | $71,350 |
| 43 | Syracuse, NY | $69,330 | $51,210 | $78,250 | $72,410 |
| 44 | Oxnard, CA | $69,280 | $46,300 | $80,580 | $62,680 |
| 45 | Columbia, SC | $69,140 | $51,520 | $77,810 | $73,820 |
| 46 | Rochester, MN | $68,620 | $59,130 | $73,300 | $75,560 |
| 47 | Bowling Green, KY | $68,310 | $50,880 | $76,900 | $75,750 |
| 48 | Milwaukee, WI | $68,270 | $51,020 | $76,750 | $70,430 |
| 49 | Columbus, IN | $68,240 | $50,110 | $77,170 | $73,370 |
| 50 | Toledo, OH | $68,240 | $47,800 | $78,310 | $74,620 |
| 51 | Appleton, WI | $68,020 | $51,540 | $76,130 | $73,600 |
| 52 | Fond du Lac, WI | $67,680 | $54,600 | $74,110 | $73,850 |
| 53 | Corpus Christi, TX | $67,450 | $43,140 | $79,440 | $72,780 |
| 54 | Reading, PA | $67,370 | $52,310 | $74,780 | $69,410 |
| 55 | Riverside, CA | $67,370 | $46,320 | $77,750 | $63,290 |
| 56 | Omaha, NE-IA | $67,350 | $54,140 | $73,860 | $73,280 |
| 57 | Reno, NV | $67,330 | $58,200 | $71,820 | $66,650 |
| 58 | Palm Bay, FL | $66,730 | $50,610 | $74,650 | $66,730 |
| 59 | Ann Arbor, MI | $66,620 | $49,920 | $74,860 | $66,040 |
| 60 | Michigan City, IN | $66,560 | $50,940 | $74,280 | $72,600 |
| 61 | Providence, RI-MA | $66,480 | $48,780 | $75,190 | $65,320 |
| 62 | Traverse City, MI | $66,410 | $47,820 | $75,570 | $71,120 |
| 63 | Binghamton, NY | $66,390 | $51,850 | $73,550 | $71,490 |
| 64 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $66,350 | $45,610 | $76,590 | $69,570 |
| 65 | Kenosha, WI | $66,250 | $53,790 | $72,380 | $65,520 |
| 66 | Grand Rapids, MI | $66,190 | $49,170 | $74,570 | $69,280 |
| 67 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $66,080 | $43,600 | $77,150 | $69,490 |
| 68 | Little Rock, AR | $66,040 | $52,690 | $72,630 | $73,900 |
| 69 | Richmond, VA | $66,020 | $55,760 | $71,090 | $67,470 |
| 70 | Waterloo, IA | $66,020 | $57,680 | $70,120 | $75,840 |
| 71 | Dubuque, IA | $66,000 | $55,430 | $71,220 | $75,580 |
| 72 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $65,890 | $53,620 | $71,930 | $74,060 |
| 73 | Jackson, MI | $65,670 | $47,220 | $74,780 | $71,550 |
| 74 | Florence, AL | $65,500 | $54,520 | $70,910 | $77,230 |
| 75 | Rochester, NY | $65,400 | $49,030 | $73,440 | $67,400 |
| 76 | Peoria, IL | $65,330 | $45,700 | $75,000 | $71,610 |
| 77 | Augusta, GA-SC | $65,310 | $49,550 | $73,090 | $71,060 |
| 78 | Eau Claire, WI | $65,290 | $48,820 | $73,380 | $70,360 |
| 79 | Cleveland, OH | $65,250 | $46,650 | $74,400 | $69,470 |
| 80 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $65,250 | $44,870 | $75,300 | $71,100 |
| 81 | Greenville, SC | $65,230 | $46,430 | $74,480 | $69,940 |
| 82 | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,000 | $42,850 | $75,900 | $71,900 |
| 83 | Tulsa, OK | $64,880 | $50,500 | $71,950 | $72,720 |
| 84 | Dallas, TX | $64,850 | $40,680 | $76,750 | $62,910 |
| 85 | Davenport, IA-IL | $64,770 | $43,260 | $75,380 | $72,710 |
| 86 | Sandusky, OH | $64,770 | $47,960 | $73,050 | $72,550 |
| 87 | York, PA | $64,710 | $48,880 | $72,510 | $67,410 |
| 88 | San Antonio, TX | $64,670 | $45,220 | $74,240 | $68,280 |
| 89 | Miami, FL | $64,650 | $46,840 | $73,420 | $56,630 |
| 90 | Lansing, MI | $64,540 | $46,340 | $73,530 | $67,940 |
| 91 | Indianapolis, IN | $64,480 | $46,590 | $73,300 | $67,380 |
| 92 | Staunton, VA | $64,380 | $53,120 | $69,910 | $70,650 |
| 93 | Oshkosh, WI | $64,170 | $46,610 | $72,800 | $69,050 |
| 94 | Harrisburg, PA | $64,150 | $49,610 | $71,300 | $65,030 |
| 95 | Wausau, WI | $63,880 | $51,150 | $70,160 | $68,950 |
| 96 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,860 | $43,870 | $73,690 | $61,810 |
| 97 | Worcester, MA | $63,710 | $45,930 | $72,470 | $62,140 |
| 98 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $63,360 | $47,470 | $71,180 | $69,270 |
| 99 | Scranton, PA | $63,340 | $48,480 | $70,640 | $67,700 |
| 100 | Jackson, MS | $63,270 | $44,890 | $72,320 | $71,050 |
| 101 | Springfield, OH | $63,150 | $45,680 | $71,740 | $69,790 |
| 102 | Tampa, FL | $63,070 | $46,070 | $71,450 | $62,510 |
| 103 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $62,840 | $45,590 | $71,320 | $64,550 |
| 104 | Springfield, MA | $62,820 | $48,610 | $69,830 | $65,400 |
| 105 | Muskegon, MI | $62,440 | $47,760 | $69,680 | $67,490 |
| 106 | Youngstown, OH | $62,400 | $41,500 | $72,700 | $71,400 |
| 107 | Atlanta, GA | $62,360 | $45,760 | $70,550 | $62,320 |
| 108 | Bloomington, IL | $62,340 | $40,890 | $72,880 | $66,650 |
| 109 | Green Bay, WI | $62,250 | $47,010 | $69,760 | $66,870 |
| 110 | Asheville, NC | $62,190 | $48,340 | $69,010 | $64,440 |
| 111 | Janesville, WI | $62,190 | $47,610 | $69,390 | $66,370 |
| 112 | Muncie, IN | $62,190 | $49,880 | $68,270 | $70,550 |
| 113 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $62,110 | $46,180 | $69,950 | $67,380 |
| 114 | Battle Creek, MI | $62,050 | $44,600 | $70,660 | $68,530 |
| 115 | Elkhart, IN | $62,000 | $47,940 | $68,930 | $68,640 |
| 116 | Fort Wayne, IN | $62,000 | $46,050 | $69,870 | $66,970 |
| 117 | Birmingham, AL | $61,980 | $47,320 | $69,200 | $67,630 |
| 118 | Lancaster, PA | $61,940 | $46,820 | $69,410 | $63,040 |
| 119 | Chicago, IL-IN | $61,840 | $43,330 | $70,950 | $59,690 |
| 120 | Decatur, IL | $61,480 | $39,080 | $72,510 | $69,530 |
| 121 | Hickory, NC | $61,460 | $48,050 | $68,080 | $69,460 |
| 122 | Akron, OH | $61,440 | $45,840 | $69,140 | $65,800 |
| 123 | Canton, OH | $61,440 | $44,530 | $69,760 | $68,720 |
| 124 | Kalamazoo, MI | $61,300 | $46,320 | $68,680 | $64,640 |
| 125 | Decatur, AL | $61,210 | $42,120 | $70,620 | $70,190 |
| 126 | Las Vegas, NV | $61,210 | $43,990 | $69,680 | $61,080 |
| 127 | Knoxville, TN | $61,170 | $47,920 | $67,680 | $66,080 |
| 128 | Evansville, IN | $61,130 | $52,920 | $65,190 | $66,790 |
| 129 | Dayton, OH | $60,940 | $46,450 | $68,080 | $65,740 |
| 130 | Greensboro, NC | $60,920 | $46,630 | $67,970 | $65,600 |
| 131 | Monroe, MI | $60,800 | $44,950 | $68,600 | $65,030 |
| 132 | Spartanburg, SC | $60,690 | $41,020 | $70,390 | $66,650 |
| 133 | Montgomery, AL | $60,630 | $47,530 | $67,080 | $67,610 |
| 134 | Gainesville, GA | $60,170 | $49,030 | $65,690 | $62,180 |
| 135 | Erie, PA | $60,110 | $44,300 | $67,910 | $66,090 |
| 136 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,950 | $47,340 | $66,160 | $63,320 |
| 137 | Tucson, AZ | $59,860 | $39,790 | $69,740 | $61,780 |
| 138 | South Bend, IN-MI | $59,840 | $47,380 | $66,000 | $64,440 |
| 139 | Owensboro, KY | $59,700 | $43,560 | $67,660 | $67,370 |
| 140 | Niles, MI | $59,160 | $43,060 | $67,100 | $64,050 |
| 141 | Springfield, MO | $59,160 | $48,050 | $64,650 | $66,780 |
| 142 | Champaign, IL | $59,130 | $42,140 | $67,500 | $63,780 |
| 143 | Raleigh, NC | $59,090 | $44,760 | $66,160 | $60,200 |
| 144 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $58,860 | $46,530 | $64,960 | $58,880 |
| 145 | Lebanon, PA | $58,780 | $45,610 | $65,270 | $63,060 |
| 146 | Mansfield, OH | $58,660 | $43,850 | $65,940 | $66,010 |
| 147 | Columbus, OH | $58,610 | $42,560 | $66,540 | $61,390 |
| 148 | North Port, FL | $58,530 | $42,410 | $66,480 | $57,150 |
| 149 | Winston, NC | $58,340 | $43,950 | $65,420 | $63,380 |
| 150 | Modesto, CA | $57,990 | $43,310 | $65,230 | $55,700 |
| 151 | Salt Lake City, UT | $57,600 | $45,780 | $63,400 | $57,100 |
| 152 | Jackson, TN | $56,870 | $45,240 | $62,570 | $66,500 |
| 153 | Deltona, FL | $56,350 | $41,060 | $63,880 | $56,710 |
| 154 | Rockford, IL | $55,560 | $40,830 | $62,820 | $60,290 |
| 155 | Joplin, MO-KS | $55,330 | $42,160 | $61,820 | $64,550 |
| 156 | Johnson City, TN | $54,390 | $43,350 | $59,840 | $61,860 |
| 157 | Houston, TX | $54,020 | $37,750 | $62,050 | $54,770 |
| 158 | Williamsport, PA | $53,600 | $38,580 | $61,010 | $58,040 |
| 159 | Austin, TX | $52,560 | $37,500 | $59,990 | $53,600 |
| 160 | Brownsville, TX | $51,830 | $35,440 | $59,900 | $60,280 |
| 161 | Morristown, TN | $51,770 | $47,090 | $54,060 | $59,940 |
| 162 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $51,690 | $40,350 | $57,260 | $59,790 |
| 163 | El Paso, TX | $48,380 | $32,680 | $56,100 | $53,810 |
| 164 | Beaumont, TX | $45,300 | $33,860 | $50,920 | $50,310 |
| 165 | San Juan, PR | $40,640 | $29,520 | $46,110 | N/A |
| 166 | Ponce, PR | $39,020 | $32,120 | $42,430 | N/A |
More
More on tool and die makers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Tool and Die Maker salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays tool and die makers the most?
Seattle, WA, where the average (mean) wage is $107,520 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($90,670), Albany, NY ($83,490), San Diego, CA ($80,290). The national mean is $66,860 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do tool and die makers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Seattle, WA ($96,750 at national prices, $107,520 nominal), Wichita, KS ($90,030 at national prices, $80,080 nominal), Lima, OH ($86,640 at national prices, $77,690 nominal).
How much do tool and die makers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $76,290; Los Angeles, CA: $75,550; Chicago, IL-IN: $61,840; Dallas, TX: $64,850; Houston, TX: $54,020 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do tool and die makers earn the least?
Of the 166 metro areas with their own estimate, Ponce, PR has the lowest mean wage, $39,020.