| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies. |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary. |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or rulers. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Cut, shape, and trim blanks or blocks to specified lengths or shapes, using power saws, power shears, rules, and hand tools. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products. |
Associate Degree Entry Level Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with an Associate's Degree or Less, having 1 year or less of work experience - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary, including % with Associate's Degree (or less), and % with 1 year experience (or less).
These entry-level roles are open to associate's degree graduates and offer a practical starting point for building experience and advancing. For recent graduates or career changers seeking their first role with a two-year degree. Compare starting salaries and degree-holder percentages, then access preparation resources built for new graduates.
Here is a short Helper Video
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Associate's Degree, to (1) Select an entry-level career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Associate's Degree entry-level careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover entry-level careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Associate Degree Jobs ![]()
What entry level jobs can you get with just an Associate's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are entry level careers (1 year or less work experience) related to the Associate's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having an Associate's Degree. - 356 specific careers are listed. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those occupations that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of occupations. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Associate's Degree or less) / (% having less than 1 year experience) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Tool and Die Makers.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Tool and Die Makers" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Description: 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.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Tool and Die Makers":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
62,300U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
63,300
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
900 (1.5%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
6,400
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software. |
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
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| Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment. | |
| Assemble machine tools, parts, or fixtures. | |
| Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment. | |
| Conduct test runs of production equipment. | |
| Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing. | |
| Design tools, fixtures, or other devices for production equipment. | |
| Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials. | |
| Feed materials or products into or through equipment. | |
| Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products. | |
| Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment. | |
| Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications. | |
| Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators. | |
| Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment. | |
| Operate grinding equipment. | |
| Operate metal or plastic forming equipment. | |
| Operate welding equipment. | |
| Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products. | |
| Repair parts or assemblies. | |
| Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences. | |
| Select production input materials. | |
| Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools. | |
| Smooth metal surfaces or edges. | |
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance. |
| Activity: Assemble equipment or components. |
| Activity: Cut materials. |
| Activity: Design industrial systems or equipment. |
| Activity: Drill holes in earth or materials. |
| Activity: Inspect completed work or finished products. |
| Activity: Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques. |
| Activity: Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment. |
| Activity: Operate cutting or grinding equipment. |
| Activity: Operate industrial processing or production equipment. |
| Activity: Operate lifting or moving equipment. |
| Activity: Position workpieces or materials on equipment. |
| Activity: Read documents or materials to inform work processes. |
| Activity: Repair workpieces or products. |
| Activity: Select materials or equipment for operations or projects. |
| Activity: Shape materials to create products. |
| Activity: Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment. |
| Activity: Test performance of equipment or systems. |
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Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
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| Emerging Tech Skills | |||||||||||||
| Computer aided design CAD software: | |||||||||||||
| Autodesk AutoCAD Bentley MicroStation Dassault Systemes SolidWorks | |||||||||||||
| Electronic mail software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | |||||||||||||
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software: | |||||||||||||
| SAP software | |||||||||||||
| Office suite software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Office software | |||||||||||||
| Presentation software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft PowerPoint | |||||||||||||
| Project management software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Project | |||||||||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Excel | |||||||||||||
| Word processing software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Word | |||||||||||||
| General Software Tools | |||||||||||||
| Computer aided design CAD software (scroll table below): | |||||||||||||
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| Computer aided manufacturing CAM software (scroll table below): | |||||||||||||
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| Inventory management software: | |||||||||||||
| Seco Tools Seco Point | |||||||||||||
| Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software: | |||||||||||||
| JobPack MES Scheduler |
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| 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. |
| Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants. |
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
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| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 40.9 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate |
| Frequency of Attainment: 39.6 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.9 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.7 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
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| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 25.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 21.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 15.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 12.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.5 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 6.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.9 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Diemaking Level II | |
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Diemaking Level III | |
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD) | |
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Tool and Die Makers". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Tool and Die Makers
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
Developed by Dr. Ralph Jagodka, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College and author of the Harvard Business Impact article "What to Do When Students Ask You for Career Advice." - Full bio. © 2026 About This Page
