Tool and Die Makers Salary
In Worcester, MA, tool and die makers earn $61,770 at the median, or about $29.7 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.52), that's roughly $60,252 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,056/month, about 50.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Worcester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Worcester’s Regional Price Parity (102.52). 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 Worcester
Tool and die makers pay in Worcester tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,056/month, which is 50.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.52) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tool and die makers in metros near Worcester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $78K | $72K |
| Springfield | $63K | $65K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $78K | $76K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $76K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Worcester, MA
Entry-level tool and die makers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $40K 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 with published data
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 Worcester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tool and die maker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Worcester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 50.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,056/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 Worcester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tool and die makers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,435/month. At HUD’s $2,056/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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 Worcester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Worcester compare to the national average for tool and die makers?
Worcester pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do tool and die makers make in Worcester, MA?
The median is $61,770 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,590, and experienced tool and die makers can clear $80,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Worcester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,048/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,056/month, which eats 50.8% 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 Worcester?
Worcester has a Regional Price Parity of 102.52 (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 $60,252 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.