Fixture maker vs die finisher

The differences between fixture makers and die finishers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a fixture maker and a die finisher. Additionally, a die finisher has an average salary of $51,369, which is higher than the $41,672 average annual salary of a fixture maker.

The top three skills for a fixture maker include hand tools, grinders and store fixtures. The most important skills for a die finisher are tig welding, MIG, and stamping dies.

Fixture maker vs die finisher overview

	Fixture Maker	Die Finisher
Yearly salary	$41,672	$51,369
Hourly rate	$20.03	$24.70
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	7,111	3,217
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	54	54
Years of experience	6	6

Fixture maker vs die finisher salary

Fixture makers and die finishers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fixture Maker	Die Finisher
Average salary	$41,672	$51,369
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $57,000	Between $32,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between fixture maker and die finisher education

There are a few differences between a fixture maker and a die finisher in terms of educational background:

	Fixture Maker	Die Finisher
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 53%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Kinesiology
Most common college	-	-

Fixture maker vs die finisher demographics

Here are the differences between fixture makers' and die finishers' demographics:

	Fixture Maker	Die Finisher
Average age	54	54
Gender ratio	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%	Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 4.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 87.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 4.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 87.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between fixture maker and die finisher duties and responsibilities

Fixture maker example responsibilities.

Fabricate precision jig fixtures enabling production to produce numerous parts from jigs using sheet metal carpentry and various other skills.
Perform all machining operations necessary to build production machinery and tooling to manufacture a wide selection of aerospace fasteners.
Machine high tolerance checking fixture details on Bridgeport and automatic wet grinder.
Perform all machining operations necessary to build production machinery and tooling to manufacture a wide selection of aerospace fasteners.

Die finisher example responsibilities.

Calculate dimensions and tolerances using knowledge of mathematics and instruments such as micrometers and vernier calipers.
Machine prepped single stage cases and heads for weld over lay, rough out, finish to OEM specifications.

Fixture maker vs die finisher skills

Common fixture maker skills

Hand Tools, 53%
Grinders, 33%
Store Fixtures, 7%
Jigs, 4%
Prototype, 4%

Common die finisher skills

Tig Welding, 40%
MIG, 30%
Stamping Dies, 25%
Grinders, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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