Patternmakers, wood salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Mean (average) | $54,240 | $26.08 |
| 90th percentile | $83,780 | $40.28 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Patternmakers, wood pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 1 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $55,020 | $49,220 | $81,100 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Job outlook for patternmakers, wood
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 64.3%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for patternmakers, wood
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Cabinetmaking and Millwork CIP 48.0703
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
- Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, and screws.
- Lay out patterns on wood stock and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products, based on blueprint specifications and sketches, and using marking and measuring devices.
- Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Divide patterns into sections according to shapes of castings to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Verify dimensions of completed patterns, using templates, straightedges, calipers, or protractors.
- Correct patterns to compensate for defects in castings.
- Set up, operate, and adjust a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and lathes to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns, according to specifications.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- 3D Systems Geomagic Design X
- Delcam PowerMILL
- Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Social Perceptiveness, Operations Analysis.
Common job titles: Mold Maker, Pattern Engineer, Pattern Maker, Patternmaker, Wood Pattern Maker, Wood Patternmaker, Wood Shop Moldmaker, Woodshop Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do patternmakers, wood make?
The national median annual wage for patternmakers, wood was $49,630 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,600 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $83,780. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do patternmakers, wood need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is patternmakers, wood a growing career?
BLS projects employment of patternmakers, wood to change -2.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay patternmakers, wood the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Pennsylvania ($55,020). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.