Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Louisiana, tool and die makers earn $46,950 at the median, or about $22.57 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $53,792 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 37.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Louisiana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $47K get you in Louisiana?
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for tool and die makers in Louisiana runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 37.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tool and die makerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track tool and die makers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 37.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,412/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $47K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Louisiana pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Louisiana?
The median is $46,950 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,200, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $62,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,194/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 37.3% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $53,792 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.