Tool and Die Maker: career path and pay in the UK
Where a Tool and Die Maker goes next, what each step typically pays in the United Kingdom, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Tool and Die Maker / Apprentice to Tool Room Manager / Manufacturing Manager.
Also for the United States: Tool and Die Maker in the US
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Tool and Die Maker / Apprentice
£25K to £35K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Apprenticeship Program (in progress) - US/UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification (required) - Global.
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Tool and Die Maker / Journeyman
£25K to £40K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Tool and Die Maker Certification (optional) - Global, NVQ Level 3 Toolmaking - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Master Tool and Die Maker / Supervisor
£25K to £40K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Tool and Die Maker Certification - Global, NVQ Level 4 Toolmaking - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Supervisory Skills Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 4 · 10+ years
Tool Room Manager / Manufacturing Manager
£35K to £55K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Tool and Die Maker Certification - Global, NVQ Level 4 Toolmaking - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Manufacturing Management Certification (optional) - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
£25K to £35K → £35K to £55K
UK estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK. No UK estimate was found for Apprentice Toolmaker; this band is placed between the neighbouring steps.
What the work involves
Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Design
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
Education people bring
- Post-Secondary Certificate: 41%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 40%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree: 10%
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Machinist
- Manufacturing Manager
- Quality Manager
- Engineering Manager
More Skilled Trades paths in the UK
Related occupations in O*NET: Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand, Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK, UK national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor UK, Indeed UK and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to £5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.