Patternmakers, Wood Career, Salary and Skills
Patternmakers, Wood have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $49,630 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 220. Wage data is published for 1 locations.
Occupation description
Plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.
O*NET code
51-7032.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$49,630
Hourly median
$23.86
Employment
220
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Mathematics | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.50 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
Technology
- 3D Systems Geomagic Design X
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Delcam PowerMILL
- Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Patternmakers, Wood salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Patternmakers, Wood Salary in PAMedian $55,020 · Employment —
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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.