Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Burlington, NC, tool and die makers earn $78,140 at the median, or about $37.57 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.2), which stretches that salary to about $83,841 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,348/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (93.2). 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 Burlington
Burlington sits well above the national pay line for tool and die makers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,348/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $62K | $64K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $61K | $66K |
| Asheville | $61K | $63K |
| Winston-Salem | $58K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington, NC
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $29K 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 Burlington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 27% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,348/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tool and die makers in Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,963/month. At HUD’s $1,348/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Burlington?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $78K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Burlington compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Burlington pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Burlington, NC?
The median is $78,140 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,390, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $78,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,987/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,348/month, which eats 27% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a tool and die makers salary go in Burlington?
Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 93.2 (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 $83,841 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.