Tool and Die Makers pay range in Hickory
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,120 or more. The middle half of tool and die makers in Hickory earn between $50,530 and $68,820.
- $46K10th
- $51K25th
- $63KMedian
- $69K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,460 | $5,122 | $29.55 |
| Median | $63,230 | $5,269 | $30.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,530 | $4,211 | $24.29 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $68,820 | $5,735 | $33.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Tool and Die Makers salary after taxes in Hickory
On the average salary of $61,460, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $49,620 a year, or $4,135 a month and $1,908 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Hickory a good place for tool and die makers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $61,460 buys what about $69,457 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Tool and Die Makers salary in other North Carolina cities
Hickory ranks 4th of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Burlington pays the most ($69,750).
- Burlington$69,750
- Charlotte$62,830
- Asheville$62,190
- Hickory$61,460
- Greensboro$60,930
- Raleigh$59,100
- Winston-Salem$58,340
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 Hickory: questions
How much do tool and die makers make an hour in Hickory?
$29.55 an hour on average, and $30.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tool and die makers salary in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tool and die makers take-home pay in Hickory?
About $49,620 a year ($4,135 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,460.
Do tool and die makers earn more in Hickory 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.92, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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