Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Kansas City, MO-KS, tool and die makers earn $85,740 at the median, or about $41.22 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $92,652 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,358/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $86K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). 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 Kansas City
Kansas City sits well above the national pay line for tool and die makers, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,358/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Kansas City offers a genuinely strong financial position for tool and die makerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $60K | $63K |
| Springfield | $59K | $66K |
| Joplin | $56K | $65K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $61K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $46K 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 Kansas City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tool and die makers in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,865/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Kansas City?
Local pay is 34% above the national median — $86K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Kansas City pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $85,740 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,750, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $93,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,450/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (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 $92,652 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.