This paper presents an efficient method for the design of streamlined extrusion dies based on the prescribed strain rate variation. Both the plane strain and axisymmetric extrusions are investigated. This is vital to the preparation of the workpieces, such as bars and ingots, for many special alloys whose mechanical properties are very sensitive to the strain rate distribution during the manufacturing process. The proposed method, which incorporates the yield criterion and the velocity field with the die angularity, can give an accurate prediction of the die shape with very little computational effort. Influences of the interfacial friction and the ram velocity on the die geometry are studied. Application of this method to hydrostatic extrusion is also briefly demonstrated.