Tool and Die Makers
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.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-4111.00 - Preparation Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$64,050
Employment, U.S.56,930
Median hourly wage$30.79
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $44,680 | $51,490 | $64,050 | $78,770 | $92,680 |
By state (45)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 690 | $64,800 | 0.89 |
| Arizona | 310 | $59,140 | 0.26 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $56,840 | 0.61 |
| California | 1,790 | $77,030 | 0.27 |
| Colorado | 160 | $63,800 | 0.15 |
| Connecticut | 1,880 | $77,540 | 3.03 |
| Florida | 440 | $63,890 | 0.12 |
| Georgia | 850 | $60,020 | 0.48 |
| Idaho | 50 | $57,800 | 0.15 |
| Illinois | 5,220 | $61,170 | 2.34 |
| Indiana | 4,090 | $68,050 | 3.49 |
| Iowa | 760 | $65,000 | 1.32 |
| Kansas | 660 | $83,890 | 1.25 |
| Kentucky | 1,900 | $66,570 | 2.59 |
| Louisiana | 170 | $46,950 | 0.24 |
| Maine | 80 | $79,910 | 0.33 |
| Maryland | 70 | $58,110 | 0.07 |
| Massachusetts | 850 | $67,230 | 0.64 |
| Michigan | 9,420 | $65,590 | 5.84 |
| Minnesota | 1,150 | $71,020 | 1.06 |
| Mississippi | 300 | $57,980 | 0.70 |
| Missouri | 1,280 | $60,810 | 1.19 |
| Nebraska | 360 | $69,150 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | 220 | $61,350 | 0.39 |
| New Hampshire | 250 | $69,910 | 0.99 |
| New Jersey | 540 | $74,460 | 0.35 |
| New Mexico | 40 | $47,960 | 0.12 |
| New York | 1,270 | $68,080 | 0.36 |
| North Carolina | 1,580 | $61,060 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $73,130 | 0.45 |
| Ohio | 5,520 | $62,280 | 2.72 |
| Oklahoma | 330 | $65,870 | 0.52 |
| Oregon | 300 | $73,930 | 0.41 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,380 | $61,160 | 1.52 |
| Rhode Island | 260 | $63,430 | 1.43 |
| South Carolina | 870 | $65,250 | 1.03 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $59,770 | 0.36 |
| Tennessee | 2,930 | $60,760 | 2.44 |
| Texas | 1,710 | $55,470 | 0.33 |
| Utah | 270 | $56,740 | 0.43 |
| Vermont | 140 | $69,300 | 1.22 |
| Virginia | 390 | $64,050 | 0.26 |
| Washington | 1,510 | $109,390 | 1.16 |
| West Virginia | 40 | $46,190 | 0.17 |
| Wisconsin | 2,450 | $68,120 | 2.27 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | 3 | 0.972 |
| 2 | Machinists | 3 | 0.966 |
| 3 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1-2 | 0.962 |
| 4 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 1-2 | 0.962 |
| 5 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 6 | Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic | 3 | 0.955 |
| 7 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1-2 | 0.955 |
| 8 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | 1-2 | 0.953 |
| 9 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 1-2 | 0.951 |
| 10 | Medical Appliance Technicians | 1-2 | 0.951 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Tool and Die Makers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Operations Monitoring | 1.00 | 0.962 |
| Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Operations Monitoring | 0.88 | 0.956 |
| Maintenance Workers, Machinery | Equipment Maintenance | 0.87 | 0.949 |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Operation and Control | 0.76 | 0.948 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | Operations Monitoring | 1.00 | 0.946 |
| Boilermakers | Operation and Control | 0.76 | 0.945 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Operations Monitoring | 0.88 | 0.940 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | Operations Monitoring | 0.88 | 0.938 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Tool and Die Makers, excluding software Tool and Die Makers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Vero Software Edgecam | 4 of 20 | 46.2x |
| G-code | 4 of 20 | 26.4x |
| EditCNC | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| SmartCAMcnc SmartCAM | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| M-code | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Vero Software SURFCAM | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software | 3 of 20 | 2.2x |
| Microsoft Windows | 4 of 20 | 0.8x |
| Web browser software | 3 of 20 | 0.3x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.50 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 4.48 | 5.16 |
| Mathematics | 3.52 | 3.81 |
| Production and Processing | 3.48 | 3.40 |
| Design | 3.39 | 3.75 |
| English Language | 3.03 | 2.93 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.93 | 3.46 |
| Education and Training | 2.79 | 3.12 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.62 | 3.04 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.43 | 2.03 |
| Administration and Management | 2.34 | 2.46 |
| Administrative | 2.19 | 2.03 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.13 | 1.98 |
| Physics | 2.11 | 1.92 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.56 | 0.82 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.55 | 1.26 |
| Transportation | 1.55 | 0.97 |
| Chemistry | 1.48 | 0.95 |
| Telecommunications | 1.43 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.40 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.35 | 0.77 |
| Law and Government | 1.26 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.23 | not rated |
| Psychology | 1.22 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.16 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.15 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.15 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.10 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.10 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.10 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.05 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.00 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Visualization | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.62 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.25 | 4.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Selective Attention | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.88 |
| Oral Expression | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.38 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Reaction Time | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Written Expression | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Depth Perception | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.62 | 3.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Response Orientation | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Static Strength | 2.25 | 2.88 |
| Number Facility | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Time Sharing | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Stamina | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Memorization | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.75 | 1.38 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Sound Localization | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Night Vision | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.50 | 0.50 |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Autodesk AutoCAD hot
- Bentley MicroStation hot
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Project hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- Autodesk Inventor
- CNC Mastercam
- Cimatron CimatronE Master
- DP Technology ESPRIT
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- JobPack MES Scheduler
- Kubotek USA KeyCreator
- Logopress
- MAKER CAD/CAM Services DIEMAKER
- Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
- NC verification software
- OPEN MIND Technologies hyperMILL
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Seco Tools Seco Point
- Striker Systems SS-Die Design
- Striker Systems SS-Draw Form
- Striker Systems SS-Strip Design
- VX Corporation VX Mold & Die
- Vero International VISI-Mould
All 32
- Virtual Gibbs CADD/CAM
- data M Software COPRA MetalBender
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | 180 | 10.47 | $48,400 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 220 | 10.11 | $75,490 |
| Columbus, IN | 180 | 9.65 | $71,180 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 550 | 9.39 | $76,420 |
| Jackson, MI | 180 | 8.74 | $63,410 |
| Saginaw, MI | 250 | 8.47 | $71,910 |
| Mansfield, OH | 140 | 7.74 | $58,710 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | 180 | 7.69 | $63,240 |
| Rockford, IL | 390 | 7.67 | $52,900 |
| Niles, MI | 160 | 7.17 | $61,690 |