Tool builder vs die mechanic

The differences between tool builders and die mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a tool builder and a die mechanic. Additionally, a die mechanic has an average salary of $45,271, which is higher than the $44,285 average annual salary of a tool builder.

The top three skills for a tool builder include jigs, hand tools and calipers. The most important skills for a die mechanic are grinders, calipers, and micrometers.

Tool builder vs die mechanic overview

	Tool Builder	Die Mechanic
Yearly salary	$44,285	$45,271
Hourly rate	$21.29	$21.76
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	10,843	34,815
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 38%
Average age	54	54
Years of experience	6	6

Tool builder vs die mechanic salary

Tool builders and die mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tool Builder	Die Mechanic
Average salary	$44,285	$45,271
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $57,000	Between $32,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between tool builder and die mechanic education

There are a few differences between a tool builder and a die mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Tool Builder	Die Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tool builder vs die mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between tool builders' and die mechanics' demographics:

	Tool Builder	Die Mechanic
Average age	54	54
Gender ratio	Male, 96.9% Female, 3.1%	Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 2.7% White, 84.4% 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 tool builder and die mechanic duties and responsibilities

Tool builder example responsibilities.

Contract machinist Fanuc lathes machining large turbines for use in power generation for Mitsubishi-Hitachi in Savannah Ga.
Fabricate composite and aluminum full validating fixtures for interior and exterior vehicle build.

Die mechanic example responsibilities.

Position and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.
Sharpen dull blades, using bench grinders, abrasive wheels, or lathes.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Deliver exceptional maintenance on extrusion lines and develop rubber extrusion dies to production standards; operate fork lift.

Tool builder vs die mechanic skills

Common tool builder skills

Jigs, 16%
Hand Tools, 12%
Calipers, 11%
Grinders, 11%
Aerospace, 5%
Machine Shop, 4%

Common die mechanic skills

Grinders, 58%
Calipers, 12%
Micrometers, 11%
Hoists, 6%
Machine Tools, 6%
CNC, 6%