Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Lancaster, PA, tool and die makers earn $60,280 at the median, or about $28.98 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.26), that's roughly $61,347 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,526/month, about 37.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Lancaster?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lancaster’s Regional Price Parity (98.26). 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 Lancaster
Tool and die makers pay in Lancaster tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,526/month, which is 37.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.26) 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 Lancaster, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $61K | $65K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $74K | $72K |
| Erie | $64K | $70K |
| York-Hanover | $66K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lancaster, PA
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $30K 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 Lancaster numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lancaster?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 37.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,526/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Lancaster?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,854/month. At HUD’s $1,526/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Lancaster?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Lancaster compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Lancaster pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.26), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Lancaster, PA?
The median is $60,280 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,570, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $77,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Lancaster?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,052/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,526/month, which eats 37.7% 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 Lancaster?
Lancaster has a Regional Price Parity of 98.26 (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 $61,347 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.