Tool and Die Makers Salary
In California, tool and die makers earn $77,030 at the median, or about $37.04 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $72,574 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in California?
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for tool and die makers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Tool and Die Makers salary by metro in California
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $98K | +27% | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $85K | +10% | 100 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $83K | +8% | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $78K | +1% | 950 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $72K | -6% | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $63K | -19% | 280 |
| Modesto | $52K | -32% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track tool and die makers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,743/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 California?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $77K here vs. $64K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
California pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in California?
The median is $77,030 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,710, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $104,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,940/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 50% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tool and die makers salary is worth about $72,574 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.