Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

51-4111 Tool and Die Makers

Occupational Description:
Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2026

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Minnesota	1,150	145	$35.24/hr	$24.35/hr	$30.68/hr	$34.93/hr	$40.42/hr	$45.84/hr

Leading Industries for Tool and Die Makers

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Manufacturing	1,100	$35.49/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	40	$26.62/hr
Professional and Business Services	N/A	N/A

Other Regional Data for Tool and Die Makers

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Duluth MN-WI MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Northeast Balance of State	N/A	N/A	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	N/A	N/A	N/A
Fargo ND-MN MSA	20	$35.98/hr	N/A
Rochester MN MSA	30	$32.79/hr	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	30	$37.86/hr	N/A
Southwest Minnesota	40	$40.07/hr	2.3%
Southwest Balance of State	40	$36.79/hr	N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	50	$32.08/hr	N/A
Southeast Balance of State	60	$29.55/hr	N/A
Southeast Minnesota	80	$32.76/hr	4.6%
Northwest Balance of State	90	$33.21/hr	N/A
Northwest Minnesota	100	$32.66/hr	8.5%
Central Minnesota	130	$32.28/hr	4.5%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	790	$36.81/hr	-1.2%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	930	$36.80/hr	N/A
Minnesota	1,150	$34.93/hr	2.9%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	110	$23.12/hr	-11.1%
Model Makers, Metal and Plastic	20	$37.69/hr	-18.7%
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	2,540	$24.09/hr	5.3%

Task for Tool and Die Makers

Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly.
Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.
Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.
Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.
Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.