What are the main factors that influence a Tool Maker's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Tool Maker's salary?

A Tool Maker's salary grows with experience: a Tool and Die Maker I (0-1 years)earns $49,475, a Tool and Die Maker II (1-3 years)earns $63,969, a Tool Maker (3-5 years)earns $71,708, a Tool and Die Maker IV (5-7 years)earns $80,068, a Tool, Die, and Gauge Making Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $84,470,

What are the highest paying states for a Tool Maker?

Tool Maker salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Tool Maker roles are District of Columbia $79,797, California $79,494, Massachusetts $78,435. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Tool Maker roles make?

Salaries for Tool Maker level roles vary by specialization: Tool Maker IV: $78,790; Tool and Die Maker IV: $78,714; Tool and Die Maker: $70,626; Tool and Die Maker III: $70,495; Tool Maker III: $70,490.

How do different companies affect a Tool Maker's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Tool Maker roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Tool Maker Salary in the United States

How much does a Tool Maker make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Tool Maker in the United States is $72,071 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Tool Maker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,518
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $64,748 to $77,016
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,080

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Tool Maker Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,016	$6,418	$1,481	$37
Average	$72,071	$6,006	$1,386	$35
25th Percentile	$64,748	$5,396	$1,245	$31

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Check out Tool Maker Job Openings in the United States

TOOL MAKER

WLS Stamping Co. - Cleveland, OH

Tool Maker ($36.85/hr)

Vari-Form Manufacturing Inc. - Sandusky, OH

Tool Maker ($36.85/hr)

Flex-N-Gate - Sandusky, OH

Machinist/Tool and Die Maker

Doyle Shamrock Industries - Holland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Tool Maker Salaries

A Tool Maker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Tool Maker Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Tool Maker's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $49,475
Early Career (1-2 years): $63,969
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,708
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $80,068
Expert (over 8 years): $84,470

Levels	Salary
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$49,475
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$63,969
Tool Make... Level Tool Maker	$71,708
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$80,068
Tool, Die... Level Tool Maker	$84,470

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Tool Maker Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Tool Makers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $79,797.
California: $79,494.
Massachusetts: $78,435.

District of Columbia $79,797 California $79,494 Massachusetts $78,435 Washington $78,147 New Jersey $78,118 Alaska $78,017 Connecticut $77,022 New York $76,619

Hawaii $75,329 Rhode Island $74,723 Maryland $74,313 Minnesota $73,750 Colorado $73,534 Illinois $73,462 Oregon $73,188 Delaware $72,986

New Hampshire $72,860 Virginia $72,576 Pennsylvania $71,747 Nevada $71,329 North Dakota $71,192 Michigan $70,976 Wisconsin $70,896 Vermont $70,738

Texas $70,298 Maine $70,269 Arizona $70,226 Ohio $70,176 Georgia $69,513 Indiana $69,181 Wyoming $69,116 Utah $69,015

Iowa $68,972 Kansas $68,626 Louisiana $68,525 North Carolina $68,489 Missouri $68,475 Florida $68,194 Montana $68,042 Nebraska $67,898

Kentucky $67,819 South Carolina $67,531 Tennessee $67,350 Idaho $67,278 New Mexico $66,752 Oklahoma $66,637 Alabama $66,212 South Dakota $65,498

Arkansas $65,109 West Virginia $64,900 Mississippi $64,273

Top Paying Cities for Tool Makers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $90,903
San Francisco: $90,010
Oakland: $88,013

San Jose, CA $90,903

San Francisco, CA $90,010

Oakland, CA $88,013

New York, NY $83,523

Queens Village, NY $82,983

Paramus, NJ $82,406

Passaic, NJ $82,334

Bergenfield, NJ $82,262

Stamford, CT $82,154

Huntington, NY $82,082

Newark, NJ $81,613

Bridgeport, CT $81,469

New Brunswick, NJ $81,231

Vallejo, CA $81,080

Middlesex, NJ $81,037

Somerset, NJ $80,972

Petaluma, CA $80,806

Santa Cruz, CA $80,525

Boston, MA $80,381

Monterey, CA $80,021

Fairbanks, AK $79,970

Los Angeles, CA $79,833

Washington, DC $79,797

Seattle, WA $79,667

Santa Rosa, CA $79,653

Juneau, AK $79,444

Orange, CA $79,206

Anchorage, AK $79,076

Anaheim, CA $79,026

Santa Ana, CA $78,918

Nassau, NY $78,875

Long Beach, CA $78,846

Danbury, CT $78,824

Santa Maria, CA $78,579

Everett, WA $78,565

Bremerton, WA $78,212

Trenton, NJ $78,075

Sacramento, CA $78,046

San Diego, CA $78,010

Brockton, MA $77,981

Tacoma, WA $77,952

Santa Barbara, CA $77,851

Lowell, MA $77,563

New Suffolk, NY $77,534

Nashua, NH $77,448

Lompoc, CA $77,332

Ventura, CA $77,260

Stockton, CA $77,239

New Haven, CT $77,094

Atlantic City, NJ $76,907

Hartford, CT $76,749

Modesto, CA $76,712

Poughkeepsie, NY $76,554

New Britain, CT $76,518

Olympia, WA $76,417

Kennewick, WA $76,417

New London, CT $76,403

Norwich, CT $76,381

Lawrence, MA $76,345

Bakersfield, CA $76,143

Riverside, CA $76,042

New Bedford, MA $76,042

Richland, WA $75,970

Portsmouth, NH $75,912

Vineland, NJ $75,898

San Bernardino, CA $75,840

Boulder, CO $75,639

Worcester, MA $75,581

Portland, OR $75,516

Saint Paul, MN $75,430

Minneapolis, MN $75,430

Philadelphia, PA $75,329

Honolulu, HI $74,947

Springfield, MA $74,694

Providence, RI $74,687

Chicago, IL $74,478

Bellingham, WA $74,392

Baltimore, MD $74,313

Chico, CA $74,132

Wilmington, DE $74,010

Pittsfield, MA $73,938

Manchester, NH $73,801

Spokane, WA $73,484

Denver, CO $73,476

Albany, NY $73,138

Troy, NY $73,109

Schenectady, NY $72,958

Burlington, VT $72,799

Portland, ME $72,547

Salem, OR $72,489

Yakima, WA $72,475

Ann Arbor, MI $72,453

Rochester, MN $72,251

Fresno, CA $72,215

Reno, NV $72,215

Milwaukee, WI $72,150

Detroit, MI $72,078

Allentown, PA $72,057

Carson City, NV $72,049

Houston, TX $71,941

Colorado Springs, CO $71,934

Syracuse, NY $71,898

Eugene, OR $71,761

Bismarck, ND $71,675

Gary, IN $71,675

Galveston, TX $71,675

Springfield, OR $71,617

Medford, OR $71,444

Fort Collins, CO $71,415

Austin, TX $71,358

Mesa, AZ $71,206

Phoenix, AZ $71,192

Dallas, TX $71,170

Reading, PA $71,127

Saint Cloud, MN $71,098

Concord, NH $71,033

Madison, WI $71,004

Utica, NY $70,810

Raleigh, NC $70,752

Las Vegas, NV $70,745

Rochester, NY $70,695

Des Moines, IA $70,687

Atlanta, GA $70,572

Battle Creek, MI $70,550

Salt Lake City, UT $70,529

Lancaster, PA $70,421

Champaign, IL $70,406

Harrisburg, PA $70,320

Durham, NC $70,255

Kansas City, MO $70,248

Kansas City, KS $70,233

Fort Worth, TX $70,226

Boca Raton, FL $70,197

Cleveland, OH $70,190

Columbus, OH $70,176

Pittsburgh, PA $70,168

Richmond, VA $70,140

Indianapolis, IN $70,125

Cincinnati, OH $70,031

Petersburg, VA $69,923

Billings, MT $69,765

Lansing, MI $69,765

Huntsville, AL $69,765

Lebanon, PA $69,758

Dayton, OH $69,750

Pueblo, CO $69,750

Appleton, WI $69,729

Buffalo, NY $69,700

Racine, WI $69,664

Charlotte, NC $69,657

Saint Louis, MO $69,635

Springfield, IL $69,606

Elkhart, IN $69,592

York, PA $69,592

Gastonia, NC $69,585

Benton Harbor, MI $69,585

Beaumont, TX $69,541

Lorain, OH $69,527

Toledo, OH $69,498

Binghamton, NY $69,462

Rock Hill, SC $69,455

Rockford, IL $69,419

Fargo, ND $69,383

Elyria, OH $69,383

Flagstaff, AZ $69,332

Fort Lauderdale, FL $69,289

Miami, FL $69,246

Duluth, MN $69,131

Bangor, ME $69,037

Cedar Rapids, IA $68,958

Louisville, KY $68,922

Grand Rapids, MI $68,907

Hialeah, FL $68,900

Casper, WY $68,799

Scranton, PA $68,713

New Orleans, LA $68,691

Virginia Beach, VA $68,684

Akron, OH $68,648

Peoria, IL $68,554

Sarasota, FL $68,540

Green Bay, WI $68,489

Baton Rouge, LA $68,453

Charleston, SC $68,439

Nashville, TN $68,417

Jamestown, NY $68,403

Davenport, IA $68,403

Tucson, AZ $68,367

Cheyenne, WY $68,345

Saint Petersburg, FL $68,323

Tampa, FL $68,309

Omaha, NE $68,295

Port Arthur, TX $68,266

Evansville, IN $68,266

Bradenton, FL $68,237

Santa Fe, NM $68,107

Orlando, FL $68,035

Clearwater, FL $67,956

Canton, OH $67,804

La Crosse, WI $67,804

Grand Forks, ND $67,783

Albuquerque, NM $67,761

Tulsa, OK $67,761

Newport News, VA $67,754

High Point, NC $67,732

Ogden, UT $67,704

Corpus Christi, TX $67,646

Laramie, WY $67,603

Norfolk, VA $67,603

Rock Island, IL $67,559

Saginaw, MI $67,545

Jacksonville, FL $67,538

Salisbury, NC $67,523

Memphis, TN $67,509

Moline, IL $67,473

Fort Myers, FL $67,451

Waterloo, IA $67,358

Spartanburg, SC $67,286

Lincoln, NE $67,250

Fort Wayne, IN $67,235

Birmingham, AL $67,156

Cedar Falls, IA $67,141

Provo, UT $67,134

Springfield, OH $67,127

San Antonio, TX $67,113

Greensboro, NC $67,084

South Bend, IN $67,077

Winston Salem, NC $67,069

Boise, ID $67,048

Savannah, GA $66,997

Muskegon, MI $66,868

Lima, OH $66,781

Lake Charles, LA $66,752

Anderson, IN $66,738

Lexington, KY $66,716

Augusta, GA $66,695

Greenville, SC $66,695

Wichita, KS $66,630

Tuscaloosa, AL $66,630

Columbia, SC $66,565

Bloomington, IN $66,385

Roanoke, VA $66,341

Asheville, NC $66,248

Knoxville, TN $66,125

Shreveport, LA $66,118

Wilmington, NC $66,024

Frankfort, KY $65,887

Oklahoma City, OK $65,837

Chillicothe, OH $65,808

Longview, TX $65,801

Topeka, KS $65,779

Mobile, AL $65,671

Terre Haute, IN $65,642

Erie, PA $65,635

Altoona, PA $65,599

Melbourne, FL $65,577

Amarillo, TX $65,549

Killeen, TX $65,527

Fayetteville, AR $65,469

Sioux Falls, SD $65,419

Chattanooga, TN $65,376

Idaho Falls, ID $65,368

Gainesville, FL $65,217

Portsmouth, OH $65,181

Little Rock, AR $65,167

Lynchburg, VA $65,167

Lafayette, LA $65,138

Youngstown, OH $65,138

Temple, TX $65,109

Daytona Beach, FL $65,095

Clarksville, TN $65,087

Pensacola, FL $65,080

Hopkinsville, KY $64,864

Charleston, WV $64,857

Florence, SC $64,821

Sioux City, IA $64,778

Macon, GA $64,568

Tallahassee, FL $64,561

Fayetteville, NC $64,547

Waco, TX $64,532

Wichita Falls, TX $64,532

Pine Bluff, AR $64,504

Vincennes, IN $64,367

Lubbock, TX $64,338

Great Falls, MT $64,295

Alamogordo, NM $64,287

Abilene, TX $64,230

Rapid City, SD $64,136

Monroe, LA $64,136

Albany, GA $64,093

Huntington, WV $64,086

Jackson, MS $64,078

Greenville, MS $64,071

Parkersburg, WV $63,999

Montgomery, AL $63,985

Johnstown, PA $63,970

Springfield, MO $63,913

Biloxi, MS $63,877

Sumter, SC $63,725

Columbus, GA $63,718

Twin Falls, ID $63,675

Pascagoula, MS $63,581

Kingsport, TN $63,394

Gulfport, MS $63,372

Alexandria, LA $63,134

Fort Smith, AR $62,954

El Paso, TX $62,760

Helena, MT $62,666

Las Cruces, NM $62,435

Harlingen, TX $62,233

Pocatello, ID $62,169

Florence, AL $62,147

Brownsville, TX $62,132

Dothan, AL $62,017

Mcallen, TX $61,981

Columbus, MS $61,448

Altus, OK $61,116

Lawton, OK $60,979

Pierre, SD $60,720

What Skills Can Increase a Tool Maker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 6.38% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
CAD (Mentioned in 3.1% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
Production Support (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Production support covers the practices and disciplines of supporting the IT systems/applications which are currently being used by the end users. A production support person/team is responsible for receiving incidents and requests from end-users, analyzing these and either responding to the end user with a solution or escalating it to the other IT teams. These teams may include developers, system engineers and database administrators.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	6.38%
CAD	3.1%
Production Support	1.96%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Tool Maker's salary.

Prioritization: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
AutoCAD: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Prioritization	$77,116	7%
AutoCAD	$74,233	3%
Leadership	$74,233	3%
Initiative	$73,513	2%
Repairing	$73,513	2%
ISO	$73,513	2%

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How Education impacts a Tool Maker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Tool Makers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Tool Maker with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $67,781 and $72,543).

Tool Maker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Tool Maker

No Diploma 50.0%

High School 50.0%

Associates 28.6%

Bachelors 21.4%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	50.0%
High School	50.0%
Associates	28.6%
Bachelors	21.4%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Tool Maker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Tool Maker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on March 01, 2026

$64,748

Average $72,071/year

$77,016

$5,396

Average $6,006/month

$6,418

$1,245

Average $1,386/week

$1,481

$31

Average $35/hour

$37

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,016	$6,418	$1,481	$37
Average	$72,071	$6,006	$1,386	$35
25th Percentile	$64,748	$5,396	$1,245	$31

Salaries of jobs related to Tool Maker

Salary Trends for Tool Maker

Salaries for a Tool Maker can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $54,202 in 2023 to around $53,395 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Tool Maker salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Tool Maker Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$54,202

2024

$53,998

2025

$53,395

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$54,202
2024	$53,998
2025	$53,395
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Tool Maker

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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