Salary guide, May 2025
Mold Maker pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Tool and Die Makers in the United States was $64,050 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $51,490 and $78,770.
Also searched as: Moldmaker, Mold Technician, Mold Repair Technician. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-4111 Tool and Die Makers
The Mold Maker title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $44,680 | $51,490 | $64,050 | $78,770 | $92,680 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $21.48 | $24.75 | $30.79 | $37.87 | $44.56 |
BLS estimated 56,930 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-4111 Tool and Die Makers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $64,400 | $48,260 to $77,850 | 90 | 0.09 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $64,460 | $51,380 to $74,340 | 80 | 0.14 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $60,590 | $48,360 to $65,430 | 110 | 0.41 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $76,380 | $61,140 to $92,020 | 660 | 0.19 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $76,380 | $61,140 to $92,020 | 660 | 0.19 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $59,910 | $44,940 to $81,370 | 630 | 0.42 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,180 | $47,150 to $74,720 | 3,750 | 2.27 |
Rank every metro for Mold Maker
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$92,670
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$84,840
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$78,910
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$78,450
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$78,200
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$78,190
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$77,320
- Household Appliance Manufacturing$76,530
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$76,040
- Chemical Manufacturing$73,150
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$73,150
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing$72,840
- Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing$69,450
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing$69,260
- Rubber Product Manufacturing$68,580
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 53,680 | $52,520 | $64,180 | $78,910 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 14,610 | $61,350 | $78,200 | $92,320 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 12,880 | $50,510 | $62,780 | $74,900 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 11,450 | $54,260 | $63,160 | $76,070 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 10,160 | $49,690 | $61,910 | $73,390 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 8,930 | $56,600 | $72,840 | $84,060 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 7,580 | $56,810 | $63,430 | $76,390 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 4,280 | $49,110 | $62,260 | $75,510 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 3,970 | $48,580 | $61,670 | $75,270 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 3,630 | $46,980 | $56,600 | $68,610 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 3,190 | $75,660 | $84,840 | $110,590 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 2,380 | $51,640 | $62,100 | $75,480 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 2,180 | $44,450 | $50,300 | $66,570 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,180 | $53,240 | $65,540 | $77,220 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 1,860 | $85,760 | $92,670 | $94,960 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 1,590 | $50,620 | $58,560 | $61,180 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 1,580 | $50,630 | $58,560 | $61,180 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 1,400 | $59,690 | $67,640 | $79,240 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 1,250 | $57,450 | $63,550 | $75,290 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 1,230 | $54,800 | $69,260 | $80,050 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 1,220 | $53,340 | $63,350 | $73,920 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 1,160 | $48,970 | $61,050 | $76,860 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 1,000 | $66,470 | $77,320 | $85,040 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 780 | $47,640 | $57,360 | $61,830 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 690 | $61,090 | $67,100 | $78,230 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 650 | $49,250 | $61,670 | $72,090 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 580 | $67,600 | $78,450 | $86,290 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 510 | $62,810 | $76,040 | $82,320 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 470 | $66,920 | $78,190 | $92,510 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 430 | $66,680 | $78,910 | $86,160 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 370 | $59,640 | $66,550 | $76,180 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 340 | $59,870 | $69,450 | $79,530 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 340 | $54,810 | $64,580 | $69,980 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 330 | $54,910 | $66,370 | $74,620 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 320 | $59,480 | $68,580 | $78,870 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 320 | $51,010 | $59,990 | $67,570 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 320 | $51,010 | $60,000 | $68,260 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 300 | $60,400 | $76,530 | $80,850 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 250 | $43,350 | $45,440 | $68,640 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 220 | $47,160 | $62,970 | $77,430 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 220 | $47,160 | $62,970 | $77,430 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 140 | $51,780 | $62,730 | $64,050 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 130 | $47,960 | $53,460 | $72,300 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 120 | $56,160 | $73,150 | $88,360 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 100 | $56,160 | $73,150 | $88,360 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 100 | $61,330 | $66,440 | $80,030 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 60 | $48,060 | $52,870 | $58,610 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 50 | $47,350 | $49,050 | $60,300 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 50 | $38,020 | $50,130 | $67,670 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 50 | $50,760 | $60,700 | $81,930 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | Not published by BLS | $40,340 | $44,590 | $50,750 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | Not published by BLS | $40,340 | $44,590 | $50,750 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Mold Maker, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $51,200 | $63,180 | $77,430 |
| May 2025 | $51,490 | $64,050 | $78,770 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about fit versus title?
Moldmaker, Mold Technician and Mold Repair Technician are often used loosely. A mold technician at a molding plant may do cleaning, swaps and small fixes. A moldmaker in a tool shop builds from steel. We ask what the person did in their last month and match the answer to your tool room and the pace of your presses.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Mold Maker?
The median annual wage for Tool and Die Makers in the United States was $64,050 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $51,490 and $78,770. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $44,680. 90% earned less than $92,680.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Mold Maker at a plant?
The Mold Maker title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 56,930 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Mold Makers occupy a specialized segment within the broader tool and die trade. Their work involves building and repairing injection molds, including complex hot runners, slides, and lifters. Because the BLS groups mold makers under the Tool and Die Maker SOC, the wage data reflects the entire occupation. National median pay stands at $64,050.
This represents an increase of $870 over the previous May 2024 median. The middle band width of $27,280 captures the diversity of the role across various manufacturing environments.
Manufacturing Headhunters sees distinct differences in metro pay profiles. The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area maintains a median of $73,120. This reflects the intense local demand for tooling support in automotive and plastic parts production. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin reports a median of $61,180. The location quotient for Detroit is 7.03, showing a dense population of these professionals. Chicago shows a lower concentration at 2.27. These metros highlight the variance in regional pay structures for the same occupation code.
Industry-specific national data provides a clearer look at where mold makers operate. The Motor Vehicle Manufacturing sector shows a median of $92,670. Aerospace manufacturing reports a median of $84,840. Engine and Power Transmission Equipment firms see a median of $78,910. These industry figures are national and do not reflect local labor market conditions. The BLS methodology combines all sub-disciplines, meaning these figures represent the average across all shops. These numbers exclude bonuses and non-cash incentives.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Does the Mold Maker title have a unique BLS occupation code?
No, Mold Makers are grouped within the Tool and Die Makers occupation code. The wage data reflects the wider occupation rather than just mold-making roles.
Are industry wages local or national?
The provided industry wages represent national data. They illustrate pay variations across specific sectors rather than geographic locations.
What is the limitation of the middle band width?
The middle band width of $27,280 simply shows the gap between the P25 and P75 percentiles. It does not explain the specific reasons for this variance among employees.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4