Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Modesto, CA, tool and die makers earn $52,300 at the median, or about $25.14 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.11), that's roughly $50,235 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,758/month, about 51.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Modesto?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Modesto’s Regional Price Parity (104.11). 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 Modesto
Pay for tool and die makers in Modesto runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,758/month, which is 49.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.11) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tool and die makerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Modesto, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $78K | $69K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $63K | $59K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $98K | $84K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $85K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Modesto, CA
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $36K 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
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 Modesto numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Modesto?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 49.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,758/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Modesto?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,504/month. At HUD’s $1,758/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Modesto?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $52K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Modesto compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Modesto pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.11), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Modesto, CA?
The median is $52,300 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,740, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $78,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Modesto?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,553/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,758/month, which eats 49.5% 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 Modesto?
Modesto has a Regional Price Parity of 104.11 (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 $50,235 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.