Tool and Die Makers Salary
In New Jersey, tool and die makers earn $74,460 at the median, or about $35.8 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $74,955 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Jersey. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $74K get you in New Jersey?
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey sits well above the national pay line for tool and die makers, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 42.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $48K 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 New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 42.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,933/month. At HUD’s $2,067/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 New Jersey?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $74K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
New Jersey pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in New Jersey?
The median is $74,460 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,890, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $96,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,846/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 42.7% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $74,955 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.