Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Texas, tool and die makers earn $55,470 at the median, or about $26.67 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $60,630 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 36.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $55K get you in Texas?
About tool and die makers
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for tool and die makers in Texas runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Tool and Die Makers salary by metro in Texas
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $66K | +19% | 110 |
| Corpus Christi | $64K | +15% | 30 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $60K | +8% | 630 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $53K | -4% | 370 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $50K | -9% | 60 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $50K | -10% | 40 |
| El Paso | $46K | -17% | 80 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $38K | -32% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track tool and die makers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,181/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $55K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Texas pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Texas?
The median is $55,470 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,350, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $85,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,884/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 36.4% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $60,630 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.