SOC 51-4111 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Tool and Die Makers — Appleton
Appleton, WI · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Tool and Die Makers in Appleton, WI is $73,010 per year, 14.0% above the national median of $64,050.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -10.8%
- Openings per year
- 4,700
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Appleton, WI.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Tool and Die Makers in Appleton, WI is $73,010 per year, 14.0% above the national median of $64,050. Half of workers earn between $61,500 and $78,480. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $46,880 and the ninetieth at $90,750.
Employment stands at 80, or 0.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Sheboygan records the highest median at $75,490. Of the 347 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 96th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,880 | −26.8% |
| 25th | $61,500 | −4.0% |
| Median (50th) | $73,010 | +14.0% |
| 75th | $78,480 | +22.5% |
| 90th | $90,750 | +41.7% |
| Mean | $68,010 | +6.2% |
Other metro areas in Wisconsin
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Appleton run 7.6% below the national average, so the median of $73,010 goes as far as $79,015 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 23.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$73,010as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$79,015US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $73,010 a year, 14.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $46,880 to $90,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 80 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Sheboygan, at $75,490.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Tool and Die Makers in Appleton, WI?
The median annual wage is $73,010, or $35.10 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $64,050, so pay in Appleton, WI is 14.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Appleton, WI earns more than $90,750 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $46,880 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Sheboygan, at $75,490 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 80 jobs in this occupation in Appleton, WI. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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