Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, tool and die makers earn $87,240 at the median, or about $41.94 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.57), that's roughly $87,617 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,702/month, about 31.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $87K get you in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s Regional Price Parity (99.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Albany-Schenectady-Troy sits well above the national pay line for tool and die makers, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,702/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Albany-Schenectady-Troy, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $76K | $68K |
| Rochester | $61K | $63K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $82K | $85K |
| Syracuse | $64K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Tool and Die Makers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tool and Die Makers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $109K | +71% | 1,510 |
| Kansas | $84K | +31% | 660 |
| Maine | $80K | +25% | 80 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +21% | 1,880 |
| California | $77K | +20% | 1,790 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +16% | 540 |
| Oregon | $74K | +15% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $73K | +14% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $71K | +11% | 1,150 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +9% | 250 |
| Vermont | $69K | +8% | 140 |
| Nebraska | $69K | +8% | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | +6% | 2,450 |
| New York | $68K | +6% | 1,270 |
| Indiana | $68K | +6% | 4,090 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +5% | 850 |
| Kentucky | $67K | +4% | 1,900 |
| Oklahoma | $66K | +3% | 330 |
| Michigan | $66K | +2% | 9,420 |
| South Carolina | $65K | +2% | 870 |
| Iowa | $65K | +1% | 760 |
| Alabama | $65K | +1% | 690 |
| Virginia | $64K | +0% | 390 |
| Florida | $64K | -0% | 440 |
| Colorado | $64K | -0% | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | -1% | 260 |
| Ohio | $62K | -3% | 5,520 |
| Nevada | $61K | -4% | 220 |
| Illinois | $61K | -4% | 5,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -5% | 3,380 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -5% | 1,580 |
| Missouri | $61K | -5% | 1,280 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -5% | 2,930 |
| Georgia | $60K | -6% | 850 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -7% | 60 |
| Arizona | $59K | -8% | 310 |
| Maryland | $58K | -9% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -9% | 300 |
| Idaho | $58K | -10% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -11% | 290 |
| Utah | $57K | -11% | 270 |
| Texas | $55K | -13% | 1,710 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -25% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -27% | 170 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -28% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tool and die makers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albany-Schenectady-Troy numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,702/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tool and die makers in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,175/month. At HUD’s $1,702/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tool and die maker a high-paying job in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $87K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Albany-Schenectady-Troy compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY?
The median is $87,240 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,910, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $101,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,464/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,702/month, which eats 31.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tool and die makers salary go in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a Regional Price Parity of 99.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tool and die makers salary is worth about $87,617 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tool and die makers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.