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The average salary for a Tool Design Engineer in the United States is $76,918 per year or about $37 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on geographic location, experience, and the specific industry. For instance, Tool Design Engineers in states like California and Texas typically earn more than their counterparts in other regions.
Experience level plays a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level Tool Design Engineers may start at around $60,000, while those with more than 10 years of experience can earn upwards of $95,000. Such variations reflect the increasing complexity and responsibility associated with the role over time.
There is a strong demand for Tool Design Engineers across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing. This demand not only affects salary potential but also presents numerous job opportunities. Explore job listings to find positions that align with your qualifications and career goals.
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The highest-paying states for tool design engineers are California, Washington, and Idaho. The lowest average tool design engineer salary states are Florida, Ohio, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $107,660 | $51.76 |
| 2 | Washington | $101,188 | $48.65 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $85,537 | $41.12 |
| 4 | Idaho | $96,266 | $46.28 |
| 5 | Texas | $88,327 | $42.46 |
| 6 | Alaska | $87,235 | $41.94 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $89,239 | $42.90 |
| 8 | Delaware | $82,182 | $39.51 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $82,003 | $39.42 |
| 10 | Arizona | $78,100 | $37.55 |
| 11 | Maryland | $81,730 | $39.29 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $76,572 | $36.81 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $83,182 | $39.99 |
| 14 | Nevada | $85,257 | $40.99 |
| 15 | Oregon | $75,121 | $36.12 |
| 16 | Utah | $73,637 | $35.40 |
| 17 | Iowa | $77,079 | $37.06 |
| 18 | Virginia | $75,264 | $36.18 |
| 19 | Michigan | $71,683 | $34.46 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $74,623 | $35.88 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $75,220 | $36.16 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $74,528 | $35.83 |
| 23 | Georgia | $72,355 | $34.79 |
| 24 | Colorado | $71,780 | $34.51 |
| 25 | Maine | $73,517 | $35.34 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $68,977 | $33.16 |
| 27 | Vermont | $70,867 | $34.07 |
| 28 | New York | $71,980 | $34.61 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $68,534 | $32.95 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $72,092 | $34.66 |
| 31 | Alabama | $65,983 | $31.72 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $66,392 | $31.92 |
| 33 | Montana | $69,520 | $33.42 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $67,647 | $32.52 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $69,284 | $33.31 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $71,799 | $34.52 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $65,960 | $31.71 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $71,616 | $34.43 |
| 39 | Illinois | $66,917 | $32.17 |
| 40 | Indiana | $63,360 | $30.46 |
| 41 | Missouri | $66,069 | $31.76 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $63,970 | $30.75 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $60,224 | $28.95 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $63,412 | $30.49 |
| 45 | Ohio | $59,058 | $28.39 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $62,135 | $29.87 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $57,660 | $27.72 |
| 48 | Florida | $60,021 | $28.86 |
| 49 | Kansas | $57,015 | $27.41 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $56,361 | $27.10 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $56,619 | $27.22 |
The highest-paying cities for tool design engineers are Cupertino, CA, Seattle, WA, and Fort Worth, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | $121,306 | $58.32 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $101,888 | $48.98 |
| 3 | Fort Worth, TX | $87,090 | $41.87 |
| 4 | Columbia, MD | $81,694 | $39.28 |
| 5 | Mesa, AZ | $77,848 | $37.43 |
| 6 | Beaverton, OR | $75,076 | $36.09 |
| 7 | Lynchburg, VA | $74,099 | $35.62 |
| 8 | Warren, MI | $71,882 | $34.56 |
| 9 | Littleton, CO | $71,864 | $34.55 |
| 10 | Rochester, NY | $69,935 | $33.62 |
| 11 | Greenville, SC | $69,474 | $33.40 |
| 12 | Wilmington, NC | $68,771 | $33.06 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $65,992 | $31.73 |
| 14 | Madison, AL | $65,838 | $31.65 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $63,326 | $30.45 |
| 16 | Wooster, OH | $59,296 | $28.51 |
A tool design engineer's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $102,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $76,918 | $6,410 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
The highest paying types of tool design engineers are senior engineer, lead design engineer, and staff engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineer | $75,352 | $6,279 | $36.23 | 105,618 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Integration Engineer | $99,674 | $8,306 | $47.92 | 103,437 |
| Product Engineer | $89,645 | $7,470 | $43.10 | 157,888 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Equipment Engineer | $97,539 | $8,128 | $46.89 | 108,449 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for tool design engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Marco Schoen Ph.D.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Measurement and Control Engineering Research Center (MCERC), Idaho State University
Top companies hiring tool design engineers now:
Tool design engineer salaries at Google and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average tool design engineer salary at companies like Joby Aviation and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $138,453 | $66.56 | |
| 2 | Apple | $134,287 | $64.56 |
| 3 | Joby Aviation | $121,532 | $58.43 |
| 4 | Hyperloop Transportation Technologies | $115,809 | $55.68 |
| 5 | Amazon | $114,199 | $54.90 |
| 6 | Harley-Davidson | $94,234 | $45.30 |
| 7 | Greif | $92,264 | $44.36 |
| 8 | Tesla | $89,711 | $43.13 |
| 9 | BorgWarner | $88,892 | $42.74 |
| 10 | Siemens | $84,979 | $40.86 |
| 11 | AMETEK | $82,674 | $39.75 |
| 12 | Standard Motor Products | $81,931 | $39.39 |
| 13 | Aerojet Rocketdyne | $81,753 | $39.30 |
| 14 | General Electric | $81,168 | $39.02 |
| 15 | General Dynamics | $81,123 | $39.00 |
| 16 | Major Tool & Machine | $78,915 | $37.94 |
| 17 | Boeing | $78,712 | $37.84 |
| 18 | SpaceX | $78,571 | $37.77 |
| 19 | Northrop Grumman | $78,498 | $37.74 |
| 20 | Global Packaging USA Corporation | $78,389 | $37.69 |
The average tool design engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $82,551 | $39.69 |
| 2 | Automotive | $79,067 | $38.01 |
| 3 | Transportation | $78,655 | $37.81 |
| 4 | Professional | $77,590 | $37.30 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $74,672 | $35.90 |
The average tool design engineer salary has risen by $9,325 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average tool design engineer earned $67,593 annually, but today, they earn $76,918 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for tool design engineers over the last decade.
Compare tool design engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare tool design engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,900 | $36.98 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $75,400 | $36.27 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $74,500 | $35.84 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $73,300 | $35.22 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $71,800 | $34.53 | +0.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heico Corp | Tooling Engineer-Mold Design | Villa Park, IL | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Joby Aviation | Senior Tool Design Engineer | Marina, CA | 06/19/2025 | $89,800 |
| General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Tool & Design Engineer I | Sacramento, CA | 06/18/2025 | $51,400 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Tooling Design Engineer | Culpeper, VA | 06/17/2025 | $85,000 |
| Impact Solutions | Tooling Design Engineer-Precision Metal Casting & Horizontal Molding | Tony, WI | 06/15/2025 | $100,000 |
| Akkodis | Tool Design Engineer | Irvine, CA | 06/13/2025 | $79,306 |
| Howmet Holdings Corporation | Tool Design Engineer | Torrance, CA | 06/10/2025 | $80,000 |
| Aurora Flight Sciences | Tool Design Engineer | Columbus, MS | 06/10/2025 | $59,000 |
| Olin | Cold-Heading Tool Design Engineer | Independence, MO | 06/09/2025 | $116,900 |
| TMA | Tooling Design Engineer | Wheeling, IL | 06/05/2025 | $90,000 |
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