Tool and Die Makers pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $109,200 or more. The middle half of tool and die makers in San Diego earn between $56,810 and $99,650.
- $45K10th
- $57K25th
- $85KMedian
- $100K75th
- $109K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $80,280 | $6,690 | $38.60 |
| Median | $85,010 | $7,084 | $40.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,810 | $4,734 | $27.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $99,650 | $8,304 | $47.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Tool and Die Makers pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Tool and die makers in San Diego earn 7% more than the California average ($75,120) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($66,860). At the median the gap is +33% against the U.S. median of $64,050.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $80,280 | $85,010 | $45,400 | $109,200 | 100 |
| California | $75,120 | $77,030 | $45,710 | $104,260 | 1,790 |
| United States | $66,860 | $64,050 | $44,680 | $92,680 | 56,930 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Tool and Die Makers salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $80,280, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $61,933 a year, or $5,161 a month and $2,382 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for tool and die makers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $80,280 buys what about $71,751 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 11.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Tool and Die Makers salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 2nd of 7 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($90,660).
- San Francisco$90,660
- San Diego$80,280
- Stockton$76,530
- Los Angeles$75,550
- Oxnard$69,280
- Riverside$67,380
- Modesto$58,000
Highest-paying cities for tool and die makers
Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,510).
- Seattle, WA$107,510
- San Francisco, CA$90,660
- Albany, NY$83,480
- San Diego, CA$80,280
- Wichita, KS$80,080
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Tool and Die Makers salary in San Diego: questions
How much do tool and die makers make an hour in San Diego?
$38.60 an hour on average, and $40.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tool and die makers salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tool and die makers take-home pay in San Diego?
About $61,933 a year ($5,161 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,280. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do tool and die makers earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,860).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-4111; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.18, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.18).
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