Tool and Die Makers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,010 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,050 or more. The middle half of tool and die makers in Chicago earn between $47,150 and $74,720.
- $40K10th
- $47K25th
- $61KMedian
- $75K75th
- $83K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,830 | $5,152 | $29.73 |
| Median | $61,180 | $5,098 | $29.41 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,150 | $3,929 | $22.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $74,720 | $6,227 | $35.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Tool and Die Makers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $61,830, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $48,941 a year, or $4,078 a month and $1,882 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $50,036 | $4,170 |
| Working in IL | $48,941 | $4,078 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for tool and die makers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $61,830 buys what about $59,684 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Tool and Die Makers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 3rd of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job; Peoria pays the most ($65,340).
- Peoria$65,340
- Bloomington$62,330
- Chicago$61,830
- Decatur$61,480
- Champaign$59,130
- Rockford$55,550
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 Chicago: questions
How much do tool and die makers make an hour in Chicago?
$29.73 an hour on average, and $29.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tool and die makers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,010 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,150, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tool and die makers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $48,941 a year ($4,078 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,830.
Do tool and die makers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($67,866).
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.27, this job is 2.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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