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Tool and Die Makers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $64,050 Median per year · $30.79/hr Most earn $44,680–$92,680

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
  • Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
  • Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.
  • Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
  • Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products.
  • Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.

Job outlook

United States
9% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 4,300 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Metalworking machinery manufacturing17.9%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing15.6%
  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing15.3%
  • Plastics product manufacturing7.0%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing5.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Tool and die making is usually not a job you walk into straight out of school. Most people start with a high school diploma, work as a machine operator for a while, and then complete a tool and die apprenticeship or certificate program, which usually takes about 2 to 4 years of combined experience and training.

  1. High school diploma with math and shop classes

    4 years

    Strong math (geometry, trigonometry) and hands-on shop classes build the measuring and blueprint-reading skills you need before you start working with metal.

  2. Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic

    6 months to 1 year

    You learn to run cutting machines, read drawings, and check parts with precision tools, which gives you a real-world base for tool and die work.

  3. Tool and die apprenticeship or certificate program

    2 to 4 years

    Combined classroom instruction and supervised shop work teach you to lay out metal stock, fit and assemble parts, and build dies, jigs, and fixtures.

  4. Tool and Die Maker

    Career

    Once trained, you make and repair the precision tools that other factories use to produce parts.

Where it can lead

  1. Toolroom Supervisor

    5 to 7 years of experience first

    You lead a team of toolmakers, plan the shop's work, and make sure jobs are finished on time and to specification, which means strong leadership and scheduling skills.

  2. Tooling Engineer

    5 years or more in the trade, plus engineering education of experience first

    You design the tools and processes used in production rather than building them by hand, which usually requires more formal engineering schooling on top of your hands-on experience.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take geometry, trigonometry, and any algebra you canMeasuring angles, sizes, and spacing on metal parts depends heavily on these math skills.
  • Join a shop, robotics, or engineering clubBuilding and fixing real machines gives you hands-on experience and teamwork practice that toolmakers use every day.
  • Take drafting or technical drawing classesLearning to read and make drawings prepares you for the specifications you will work from as a toolmaker.
  • Look for a summer or part-time job at a machine shop, manufacturer, or hardware or repair shopEven basic work with tools, parts, and equipment shows employers you are reliable and interested in the trade.
  • Talk to a shop teacher or a working toolmakerAsking about their training path can help you learn which apprenticeships and certificate programs exist near you.

In college

  • Take a certificate or associate program in tool and die, machining, or manufacturing technologyMany community and technical colleges offer these programs, which teach the exact skills tool and die apprenticeships build on.
  • Take math, blueprint reading, and CAD classesComputer-aided design is widely used to plan dies and tools, so knowing CAD makes you more valuable to employers.
  • Get a part-time job or internship at a machine shop or manufacturerWorking in a real shop lets you practice running machines and checking parts while you study.
  • Join a skills competition or technical student clubCompeting in machining or precision skills events builds confidence and shows employers what you can do.
  • Ask about registered apprenticeship programsApprenticeships let you earn while you learn, and many employers look for applicants who have some classroom training first.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with measuring tools and blueprints now. Reading drawings accurately is one of the most important skills employers look for.
  • Ask local machine shops, manufacturers, or trade schools about apprenticeship openings. Many employers hire people with a strong work ethic and math skills and train them on the job.
  • Keep a simple record of projects you build or fix, with photos and notes. A portfolio helps when you apply for apprenticeships or jobs.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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