# Tool and Die Makers

US SOC code 51-4111. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/51-4111

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **56,930** US tool and die makers, with median pay of **$64,050** a year. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1120_1953.pdf) of **130,000** from 1940, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for tool and die makers: CAD/CAM integration, 1982 to 2015.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 9.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-4111&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35.

## Tool and Die Makers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1820
- Latest US employment: 56,930 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $64,050 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: -9.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [14]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1940 | 130,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Bulletin No. 1120 (1953) [1] |
| 1951 | 200,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Bulletin No. 1120 (1953) [1] |
| 2000 | 142,000 (estimate) | $41,110 | Est., Estimated total employment for Tool and… (employment) [2]; BLS OEWS 2000 (pay) [4] |
| 2003 | 104,210 | $42,990 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 99,390 | $42,740 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 99,680 | $43,580 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 96,960 | $44,290 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 92,560 | $45,090 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 85,610 | $46,430 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 73,640 | $46,900 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 66,530 | $46,930 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 70,320 | $46,650 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 76,430 | $47,000 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 78,700 | $47,960 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 75,950 | $48,890 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 74,510 | $50,290 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 72,210 | $51,060 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 73,510 | $52,480 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 72,700 | $52,750 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 70,770 | $53,920 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 61,190 | $54,760 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 63,630 | $57,000 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 61,730 | $59,800 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 58,150 | $61,490 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 55,130 | $63,180 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 56,930 | $64,050 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (69)

### Employment series

1. [BLS Bulletin No. 1120 (1953), "The Mobility of Tool and Die Makers, 1940-1951" (FRASER archive)](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1120_1953.pdf), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. [Estimated total employment for Tool and Die Makers in 2000, derived from the BLS Current Population Survey full-time male wage-and-salary series (FRED LEU0254622300A, ~118,000 men) scaled up to include women and part-time workers](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LEU0254622300A), Derived estimate (basis: BLS Current Population Survey via FRED)
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

6. [Springfield Museums — "The Springfield Armory's Role in Creating the Tool and Die Industry" (program description)](https://springfieldmuseums.org/program/the-springfield-armorys-role-in-creating-the-tool-and-die-industry/), Springfield Museums
7. [MoldMaking Technology — "The National Tooling & Machining Association: Spreading Awareness, Fostering Growth" (NTMA organized 1943, incorporated under Ohio law)](https://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/the-national-tooling-machining-association-spreading-awareness-fostering-growth), MoldMaking Technology
8. [NBER Digest — "Labor Market Effects of Machine Tool Automation" (Nov 2022, Humlum et al., impact of CNC diffusion)](https://www.nber.org/digest/202211/labor-market-effects-machine-tool-automation), National Bureau of Economic Research
9. [Maxx Tooling — "History of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)" (Wire EDM timeline and first CNC EDM 1976)](https://maxxtooling.com/en-au/blogs/news/history-of-electrical-discharge-machining-edm), Maxx Tooling
10. [Congressional Research Service, Report R42411 — "The Tool and Die Industry: Contribution to U.S. Manufacturing and Federal Policy Considerations" (Table 1: tool and die maker employment 162,032 in 1998 to 89,661 in 2010, -45%)](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dcd82e1c753e72e85616af7/t/6328ccf4cd9571245a256062/1663618293211/CRS+2012+Tool-and-Die-Industry.pdf), Congressional Research Service
11. [Novedge Design History — "Mastercam's Evolution: Transforming Manufacturing with CAM Innovation" (Mastercam founded 1983)](https://novedge.com/blogs/design-news/design-software-history-mastercams-evolution-transforming-manufacturing-with-cam-innovation), Novedge
12. [DataUSA — "Tool & Die Makers" occupation profile (Census ACS-derived average age ~50.7, age-bracket distribution, geographic concentration)](https://datausa.io/profile/soc/tool-die-makers), DataUSA
13. [Additive Manufacturing Media — "How 3D Printing Supports Toolmaking Workforce at This Multi-Scale Molder"](https://www.additivemanufacturing.media/articles/how-3d-printing-supports-toolmaking-workforce-at-this-multi-scale-molder), Additive Manufacturing Media

### Forecasts and exposure studies

14. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 51-4111 Tool and die makers (2025: 56.7 thousand; 2035: 51.5 thousand; -9.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-4111&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Historical notes

15. [National Park Service, Springfield Armory National Historic Site — "Thomas Blanchard and His Lathe" (1819 patent, adoption at national armories in the early 1820s)](https://www.nps.gov/spar/learn/historyculture/thomas-blanchard-and-his-lathe.htm), National Park Service
16. [Wikipedia — "High-speed steel" (Taylor-White process, cutting speed tripled from 30 to 90 sfm, 1900 Paris Exhibition demonstration)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_steel), Wikipedia
17. [Wikipedia — Ex-Cell-O (founding history, 1919, Highland Park Michigan)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex-Cell-O), Wikipedia
18. [Wikipedia — "Tool and die strike of 1939" (UAW, Walter Reuther, GM)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_and_die_strike_of_1939), Wikipedia
19. [MoldMaking Technology — "The National Tooling & Machining Association: Spreading Awareness, Fostering Growth" (NTMA organized 1943)](https://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/the-national-tooling-machining-association-spreading-awareness-fostering-growth), MoldMaking Technology
20. [Maxx Tooling — "History of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)" (first CNC EDM 1976, Wire EDM development)](https://maxxtooling.com/en-au/blogs/news/history-of-electrical-discharge-machining-edm), Maxx Tooling
21. [NBER Working Paper 30400 — "Automation After the Assembly Line: Computerized Machine Tools, Employment and Productivity in the Metal Working Sector" (1981-1991 machine tool employment context)](https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w30400/revisions/w30400.rev0.pdf), National Bureau of Economic Research
22. [DataUSA — "Tool & Die Makers" occupation profile (Census ACS-derived geographic concentration: Michigan PUMAs rank among the top employing areas nationwide)](https://datausa.io/profile/soc/tool-die-makers), DataUSA

### Predecessors & successors

23. [Springfield Museums — "The Springfield Armory's Role in Creating the Tool and Die Industry"](https://springfieldmuseums.org/program/the-springfield-armorys-role-in-creating-the-tool-and-die-industry/), Springfield Museums

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.