Model Makers, Wood Career, Salary and Skills
Model Makers, Wood have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $56,550 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 280. Wage data is published for 1 locations.
Occupation description
Construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
O*NET code
51-7031.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$56,550
Hourly median
$27.19
Employment
280
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Operations Analysis | 2.88 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications, and consult with designers 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, screws, and other fasteners.
- Verify dimensions and contours of models during hand-forming processes, using templates and measuring devices.
- Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Plan, lay out, and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products.
- Construct wooden models, patterns, templates, full scale mock-ups, and molds for parts of products and production tools.
- Select wooden stock, determine layouts, and mark layouts of parts on stock, using precision equipment such as scribers, squares, and protractors.
- Mark identifying information on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods and details.
Technology
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Siemens NX
Model Makers, Wood salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Model Makers, Wood Salary in OHMedian $35,900 · Employment —
Related careers
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- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $46,550
- Sheet Metal WorkersNational median $61,800
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $52,800
- MachinistsNational median $58,750
- Furniture FinishersNational median $44,540
- Engine and Other Machine AssemblersNational median $53,710
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNational median $42,660
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.