Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Fond du Lac, WI, tool and die makers earn $61,330 at the median, or about $29.49 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $66,925 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,176/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $61K get you in Fond du Lac?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fond du Lac’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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 Fond du Lac
Tool and die makers pay in Fond du Lac tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,176/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Fond du Lac, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $68K | $70K |
| Sheboygan | $75K | $80K |
| Madison | $66K | $68K |
| Appleton | $73K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fond du Lac, WI
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $41K 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 Fond du Lac numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fond du Lac?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 28.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,176/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tool and die makers in Fond du Lac?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,898/month. At HUD’s $1,176/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Fond du Lac?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Fond du Lac compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Fond du Lac pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Fond du Lac, WI?
The median is $61,330 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,300, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $89,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Fond du Lac?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,093/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,176/month, which eats 28.7% 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 Fond du Lac?
Fond du Lac has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 $66,925 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.