Tool and Die Makers Salary
In New York, tool and die makers earn $68,080 at the median, or about $32.73 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $69,321 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 43.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $68K get you in New York?
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in New York
Tool and die makers pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $68K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 43.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Tool and Die Makers salary by metro in New York
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $87K | +28% | 60 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $82K | +20% | 250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $76K | +12% | 660 |
| Binghamton | $67K | -2% | 40 |
| Syracuse | $64K | -6% | 80 |
| Rochester | $61K | -11% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track tool and die makers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 43.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,922/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $68K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
New York pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in New York?
The median is $68,080 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,700, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $94,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,428/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 43.3% 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 New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $69,321 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.