Mold maker vs jig builder

The differences between mold makers and jig builders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a mold maker and a jig builder. Additionally, a jig builder has an average salary of $62,348, which is higher than the $48,841 average annual salary of a mold maker.

The top three skills for a mold maker include grinders, plastic injection molds and cnc machines. The most important skills for a jig builder are jigs, hand tools, and calipers.

Mold maker vs jig builder overview

	Mold Maker	Jig Builder
Yearly salary	$48,841	$62,348
Hourly rate	$23.48	$29.98
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	13,896	2,853
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	54	54
Years of experience	6	6

Mold maker vs jig builder salary

Mold makers and jig builders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mold Maker	Jig Builder
Average salary	$48,841	$62,348
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $68,000	Between $40,000 And $96,000
Highest paying City	Monterey, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	Vicor	-
Best paying industry	Automotive	-

Differences between mold maker and jig builder education

There are a few differences between a mold maker and a jig builder in terms of educational background:

	Mold Maker	Jig Builder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Business
Most common college	-	-

Mold maker vs jig builder demographics

Here are the differences between mold makers' and jig builders' demographics:

	Mold Maker	Jig Builder
Average age	54	54
Gender ratio	Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4%	Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 84.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 84.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between mold maker and jig builder duties and responsibilities

Mold maker example responsibilities.

Utilize Creo to create accurate part models including mold splits, BOM's and assemblies.
Have experience repairing molds including mig welding aluminum.
Convert part drawings to AutoCad.
Train engineers on use of SolidWorks.
Adher to safety standards and ISO requirements.
Lead mold machinist utilizing Haas vertical milling machines.

Jig builder example responsibilities.

Measure and keep tolerance making components for dies and molds, on CNC machines or surface grinders.
Fabricate and build assembly jigs and fixtures for agricultural equipment and accessories.
Inspect parts coming off machines with calipers and micrometers.
Design and improve processes on assembly jigs and tools on the shop floor.
Use of radial drills, lathes, mills, grinders, and relate precision measuring equipment.
Detail fabrication require use of various close tolerance measuring devices such as micrometers, calipers, and height gauges.

Mold maker vs jig builder skills

Common mold maker skills

Grinders, 13%
Plastic Injection Molds, 8%
CNC Machines, 8%
Math, 5%
Jigs, 5%
Hand Tools, 5%

Common jig builder skills

Jigs, 56%
Hand Tools, 23%
Calipers, 9%
Laser Tracker, 6%
Machine Shop, 4%
Drill Presses, 2%