Tool and Die Maker Salary in Detroit, MI
Tool and Die Makers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $73,120 a year — 14% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $57,413 take-home, or $4,784 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median tool and die maker salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,256
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,533
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,060
- Michigan income tax$2,857
- Take-home pay$57,413
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,755 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $55,658 ($4,638 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Tool and Die Maker pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,900 | $23.03 | $38,883 | $3,240 |
| 25th percentile | $59,630 | $28.67 | $47,809 | $3,984 |
| Median (50th) | $73,120 | $35.15 | $57,413 | $4,784 |
| 75th percentile | $86,160 | $41.42 | $66,033 | $5,503 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $92,930 | $44.68 | $70,507 | $5,876 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $73,120 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median tool and die maker's $57,413 take-home pay has the buying power of $57,242 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Detroit, MI has 7.0× the national concentration of tool and die maker jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for tool and die makers, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #1 of 2 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit, MI | $73,120 | $57,413 | $57,242 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $61,180 | $48,455 | $46,773 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 2 metros →
About the job: 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.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -9.2% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tool and die maker make in Detroit, MI?
The median tool and die maker salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $73,120 a year, or about $35.15 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,630 and $86,160.
What is a tool and die maker’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $73,120 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $57,413 a year ($4,784 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,857 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a tool and die maker?
Pay here is 14% above the national median of $64,050. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $57,242 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #1 of 2 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a tool and die maker afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 24% of a median tool and die maker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,490
- Engine and Other Machine Assembler — $64,820
- Machinist — $59,310
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $51,810
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $51,210
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $50,460
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $49,240
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $46,880
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $45,400
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $45,170
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $44,220
- Production Workers, All Other — $39,870