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 $49,456, a Tool and Die Maker II (1-3 years)earns $63,985, a Tool Maker (3-5 years)earns $71,728, a Tool and Die Maker IV (5-7 years)earns $80,095, a Tool, Die, and Gauge Making Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $84,508,

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 $79,820, California $79,517, Massachusetts $78,457. 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: $78,741; Tool and Die Maker: $70,646; Tool Maker III: $70,590; Tool and Die Maker III: $70,515.

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 May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Tool Maker in the United States is $72,092 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): $81,545
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $64,777 to $77,040
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,116

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Tool Maker Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,040	$6,420	$1,482	$37
Average	$72,092	$6,008	$1,386	$35
25th Percentile	$64,777	$5,398	$1,246	$31

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Check out Tool Maker Job Openings in the United States

Tool Maker

Aliniti - Cincinnati, OH

Tool Maker

Millat Industries - Dayton, OH

TOOL MAKER

Custom Materials Inc - Chagrin Falls, OH

Tool Maker ($36.85/hr)

Flex-N-Gate - Sandusky, 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): $49,456
Early Career (1-2 years): $63,985
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,728
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $80,095
Expert (over 8 years): $84,508

Levels	Salary
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$49,456
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$63,985
Tool Make... Level Tool Maker	$71,728
Tool and ... Level Tool Maker	$80,095
Tool, Die... Level Tool Maker	$84,508

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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: $79,820.
California: $79,517.
Massachusetts: $78,457.

District of Columbia $79,820 California $79,517 Massachusetts $78,457 Washington $78,169 New Jersey $78,140 Alaska $78,039 Connecticut $77,044 New York $76,641

Hawaii $75,350 Rhode Island $74,745 Maryland $74,334 Minnesota $73,771 Colorado $73,555 Illinois $73,483 Oregon $73,209 Delaware $73,007

New Hampshire $72,880 Virginia $72,596 Pennsylvania $71,767 Nevada $71,349 North Dakota $71,212 Michigan $70,996 Wisconsin $70,917 Vermont $70,758

Texas $70,318 Maine $70,289 Arizona $70,246 Ohio $70,196 Georgia $69,532 Indiana $69,201 Wyoming $69,136 Utah $69,035

Iowa $68,992 Kansas $68,646 Louisiana $68,545 North Carolina $68,509 Missouri $68,494 Florida $68,213 Montana $68,062 Nebraska $67,918

Kentucky $67,838 South Carolina $67,550 Tennessee $67,370 Idaho $67,298 New Mexico $66,771 Oklahoma $66,656 Alabama $66,231 South Dakota $65,517

Arkansas $65,128 West Virginia $64,919 Mississippi $64,291

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: $90,929
San Francisco: $89,934
Oakland: $88,038

San Jose, CA $90,929

San Francisco, CA $89,934

Oakland, CA $88,038

New York, NY $83,006

Paramus, NJ $81,996

Queens Village, NY $81,993

Passaic, NJ $81,924

Bergenfield, NJ $81,918

Stamford, CT $81,759

Huntington, NY $81,730

Newark, NJ $81,197

Bridgeport, CT $81,045

Vallejo, CA $80,901

New Brunswick, NJ $80,872

Petaluma, CA $80,829

Middlesex, NJ $80,692

Somerset, NJ $80,642

Santa Cruz, CA $80,548

Boston, MA $80,108

Monterey, CA $79,855

Seattle, WA $79,690

Santa Rosa, CA $79,676

Los Angeles, CA $79,654

Juneau, AK $79,467

Washington, DC $79,387

Orange, CA $79,131

Santa Ana, CA $78,940

Long Beach, CA $78,868

Anaheim, CA $78,854

Anchorage, AK $78,818

Santa Maria, CA $78,602

Everett, WA $78,587

Danbury, CT $78,333

Bremerton, WA $78,234

Tacoma, WA $77,974

New Suffolk, NY $77,973

Sacramento, CA $77,953

Santa Barbara, CA $77,873

Trenton, NJ $77,794

San Diego, CA $77,794

Brockton, MA $77,715

Fairbanks, AK $77,538

Lompoc, CA $77,354

Lowell, MA $77,296

Ventura, CA $77,282

Nashua, NH $77,268

Stockton, CA $77,261

Modesto, CA $76,734

Poughkeepsie, NY $76,576

Olympia, WA $76,439

Kennewick, WA $76,439

New Haven, CT $76,410

Lawrence, MA $76,150

Hartford, CT $76,078

Riverside, CA $76,064

New Bedford, MA $75,992

Richland, WA $75,992

Bakersfield, CA $75,891

San Bernardino, CA $75,862

New Britain, CT $75,855

Atlantic City, NJ $75,855

New London, CT $75,826

Norwich, CT $75,804

Portsmouth, NH $75,790

Boulder, CO $75,637

Portland, OR $75,538

Worcester, MA $75,530

Minneapolis, MN $75,307

Philadelphia, PA $75,206

Honolulu, HI $74,968

Saint Paul, MN $74,934

Vineland, NJ $74,918

Providence, RI $74,709

Chicago, IL $74,500

Bellingham, WA $74,413

Springfield, MA $74,355

Baltimore, MD $74,334

Chico, CA $74,154

Pittsfield, MA $73,959

Manchester, NH $73,822

Spokane, WA $73,505

Denver, CO $73,497

Albany, NY $73,159

Troy, NY $73,130

Nassau, NY $73,053

Schenectady, NY $72,978

Wilmington, DE $72,921

Burlington, VT $72,820

Salem, OR $72,791

Portland, ME $72,568

Yakima, WA $72,495

Rochester, MN $72,272

Reno, NV $72,236

Fresno, CA $72,236

Milwaukee, WI $72,171

Detroit, MI $72,099

Ann Arbor, MI $72,087

Allentown, PA $72,077

Colorado Springs, CO $71,955

Syracuse, NY $71,919

Carson City, NV $71,919

Houston, TX $71,818

Eugene, OR $71,782

Gary, IN $71,695

Springfield, OR $71,638

Bismarck, ND $71,623

Galveston, TX $71,573

Medford, OR $71,465

Fort Collins, CO $71,436

Concord, NH $71,400

Austin, TX $71,378

Mesa, AZ $71,227

Reading, PA $71,219

Phoenix, AZ $71,212

Dallas, TX $71,191

Saint Cloud, MN $71,121

Madison, WI $71,025

Utica, NY $70,830

Rochester, NY $70,715

Des Moines, IA $70,708

Raleigh, NC $70,700

Atlanta, GA $70,592

Battle Creek, MI $70,571

Salt Lake City, UT $70,549

Lancaster, PA $70,441

Harrisburg, PA $70,340

Kansas City, MO $70,268

Champaign, IL $70,253

Kansas City, KS $70,253

Fort Worth, TX $70,246

Columbus, OH $70,234

Boca Raton, FL $70,217

Pittsburgh, PA $70,188

Richmond, VA $70,160

Indianapolis, IN $70,145

Cleveland, OH $70,138

Las Vegas, NV $70,052

Cincinnati, OH $70,052

Petersburg, VA $69,943

Huntsville, AL $69,835

Lansing, MI $69,787

Lebanon, PA $69,778

Pueblo, CO $69,770

Appleton, WI $69,749

Buffalo, NY $69,720

Dayton, OH $69,698

Racine, WI $69,684

Charlotte, NC $69,677

Saint Louis, MO $69,655

York, PA $69,612

Elkhart, IN $69,612

Gastonia, NC $69,598

Billings, MT $69,581

Beaumont, TX $69,561

Lorain, OH $69,547

Benton Harbor, MI $69,532

Toledo, OH $69,518

Binghamton, NY $69,482

Rock Hill, SC $69,475

Rockford, IL $69,439

Springfield, IL $69,410

Elyria, OH $69,403

Fargo, ND $69,403

Flagstaff, AZ $69,352

Fort Lauderdale, FL $69,309

Duluth, MN $69,266

Miami, FL $69,266

Cheyenne, WY $69,215

Grand Forks, ND $69,215

Bangor, ME $69,057

Cedar Rapids, IA $68,977

Durham, NC $68,947

Louisville, KY $68,941

Grand Rapids, MI $68,927

Hialeah, FL $68,920

Casper, WY $68,819

Scranton, PA $68,732

New Orleans, LA $68,711

Virginia Beach, VA $68,703

Akron, OH $68,667

Peoria, IL $68,574

Sarasota, FL $68,559

Nashville, TN $68,509

Omaha, NE $68,509

Green Bay, WI $68,509

Baton Rouge, LA $68,473

Charleston, SC $68,458

Jamestown, NY $68,422

Davenport, IA $68,422

Tucson, AZ $68,386

Saint Petersburg, FL $68,343

Tampa, FL $68,329

Evansville, IN $68,285

Port Arthur, TX $68,285

Bradenton, FL $68,256

Santa Fe, NM $68,127

Orlando, FL $67,997

Clearwater, FL $67,975

Canton, OH $67,824

La Crosse, WI $67,824

Albuquerque, NM $67,781

Newport News, VA $67,773

High Point, NC $67,752

Ogden, UT $67,723

Corpus Christi, TX $67,665

Norfolk, VA $67,622

Laramie, WY $67,622

Rock Island, IL $67,579

Saginaw, MI $67,564

Jacksonville, FL $67,557

Salisbury, NC $67,543

Boise, ID $67,528

Moline, IL $67,492

Fort Myers, FL $67,471

Memphis, TN $67,456

Tulsa, OK $67,420

Waterloo, IA $67,377

Spartanburg, SC $67,305

Lincoln, NE $67,269

Fort Wayne, IN $67,254

Provo, UT $67,247

Cedar Falls, IA $67,161

San Antonio, TX $67,132

Greensboro, NC $67,103

South Bend, IN $67,096

Savannah, GA $67,016

Muskegon, MI $66,988

Birmingham, AL $66,980

Winston Salem, NC $66,945

Lake Charles, LA $66,771

Anderson, IN $66,757

Lexington, KY $66,735

Augusta, GA $66,714

Greenville, SC $66,714

Lima, OH $66,656

Wichita, KS $66,649

Tuscaloosa, AL $66,649

Columbia, SC $66,584

Springfield, OH $66,569

Asheville, NC $66,454

Bloomington, IN $66,404

Knoxville, TN $66,144

Shreveport, LA $66,137

Wilmington, NC $66,043

Roanoke, VA $66,043

Topeka, KS $65,913

Frankfort, KY $65,906

Oklahoma City, OK $65,856

Chillicothe, OH $65,827

Longview, TX $65,820

Melbourne, FL $65,813

Sioux Falls, SD $65,697

Mobile, AL $65,690

Terre Haute, IN $65,661

Altoona, PA $65,618

Amarillo, TX $65,567

Killeen, TX $65,546

Fayetteville, AR $65,488

Chattanooga, TN $65,466

Sioux City, IA $65,402

Idaho Falls, ID $65,387

Lynchburg, VA $65,329

Gainesville, FL $65,236

Portsmouth, OH $65,200

Little Rock, AR $65,185

Lafayette, LA $65,156

Youngstown, OH $65,156

Daytona Beach, FL $65,113

Clarksville, TN $65,106

Pensacola, FL $65,099

Temple, TX $65,094

Hopkinsville, KY $64,883

Erie, PA $64,868

Florence, SC $64,839

Charleston, WV $64,724

Great Falls, MT $64,688

Macon, GA $64,587

Tallahassee, FL $64,580

Fayetteville, NC $64,565

Waco, TX $64,551

Helena, MT $64,500

Pine Bluff, AR $64,473

Vincennes, IN $64,385

Lubbock, TX $64,356

Alamogordo, NM $64,313

Twin Falls, ID $64,248

Rapid City, SD $64,226

Jackson, MS $64,097

Huntington, WV $64,092

Greenville, MS $64,090

Parkersburg, WV $64,016

Montgomery, AL $64,003

Wichita Falls, TX $63,931

Springfield, MO $63,931

Biloxi, MS $63,895

Monroe, LA $63,823

Johnstown, PA $63,772

Sumter, SC $63,743

Columbus, GA $63,736

Pascagoula, MS $63,599

Abilene, TX $63,599

Kingsport, TN $63,412

Albany, GA $63,412

Gulfport, MS $63,390

Alexandria, LA $63,152

Fort Smith, AR $62,972

El Paso, TX $62,777

Las Cruces, NM $62,453

Harlingen, TX $62,270

Pocatello, ID $62,258

Florence, AL $62,165

Brownsville, TX $62,150

Mcallen, TX $61,999

Dothan, AL $61,898

Columbus, MS $61,470

Altus, OK $61,134

Lawton, OK $60,997

Pierre, SD $60,737

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	$77,138	7%
AutoCAD	$74,254	3%
Leadership	$74,254	3%
Initiative	$73,534	2%
Repairing	$73,534	2%
ISO	$73,534	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 May 01, 2026

$64,777

Average $72,092/year

$77,040

$5,398

Average $6,008/month

$6,420

$1,246

Average $1,386/week

$1,482

$31

Average $35/hour

$37

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,040	$6,420	$1,482	$37
Average	$72,092	$6,008	$1,386	$35
25th Percentile	$64,777	$5,398	$1,246	$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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