Tool & Die Technology

Types of Degrees Tool & Die Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many tool and die technology/technician graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	221
Associate Degree	194
Undergraduate Certificate	169

What Tool & Die Technology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to tool and die tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Tool and Die Tech Majors

Tool and Die Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills for Tool and Die Tech Majors

When studying tool and die tech, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Tool and Die Tech Majors

As a tool and die tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Tool & Die Technology?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 95% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of tool and die tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	3
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	53
White	131
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	5

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Tool and Die Tech, too. About 0.5% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Tool & Die Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Tool and Die Tech majors often go into careers with median salaries of $53,650. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Tool & Die Technology

Some degrees associated with tool and die tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for tool and die tech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	11.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	68.5%
Some College Courses	1.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	16.7%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	2.6%

Online Tool & Die Technology Programs

In 2020-2021, 50 schools offered a tool and die tech program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	27	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	0
Associate’s Degree	22	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Tool & Die Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a tool and die tech grad is $53,650 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 34% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $275,000 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Tool & Die Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to tool and die tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Welding Technology/Welder	42,490
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,285
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,689
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	1,921
Metal Fabricator	430
Ironworking/Ironworker	316
Other Precision Metal Working	314
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	279

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.