Tool and die makers
SOC Code: 51-4111
Tool and die makers carries a 29% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $63,180 and -10.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 55,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
AI Exposure vs Industry Growth
Total occupations tracked
832
Covering all SOC major groups
Data currency
2024
BLS Employment Projections
AI exposure avg
40%
Fleet-wide median across all roles
Composite score weighing O*NET task data completeness, BLS projection methodology, and cross-validation with employer risk grades.
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Tool and die makers (SOC 51-4111) carries an AI exposure score of 29%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 55,200 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a -10.8% change through 2034 — a decline that often compounds with high AI exposure to create displacement headwinds. Median annual compensation stands at $63,180, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires Postsecondary nondegree award, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Tool and die makers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- 2. 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.
- 3. Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.
- 4. Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.
- 5. Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
- 6. Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.
- 7. Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.
- 8. Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
- 9. File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.
- 10. Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Quality Control Analysis
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Equipment Selection
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Design
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Tool and die makers?
Tool and die makers has an AI exposure score of 29%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Tool and die makers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Tool and die makers is projected to decline by 10.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 55,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Tool and die makers?
Key skills for Tool and die makers include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, and others. Typical entry-level education is Postsecondary nondegree award.
How much do Tool and die makers earn?
The median annual wage for Tool and die makers is $63,180, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Tool and die makers?
The typical entry-level education for Tool and die makers is Postsecondary nondegree award. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Long-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Tool and die makers?
Tool and die makers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).