Explore This Path

Wooden Patternmakers

💰 Earn $41K-$59K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 12–24 Month Training

📈 -2% Job Growth

Craft intricate wooden patterns for casting molds, perfect for hands-on creators.
Shape the foundation of manufacturing by bringing blueprints to life.
Blend artistry and precision in a unique woodworking career.

What Wooden Patternmakers DoPlan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.

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.

Wooden Patternmakers Education, Salary, and Growth

Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED

Career ProspectsShaky (Decreasing by 1-5%)

Training Time1 to 2 years

Job Openings100 Annually

Median earnings

California Median

Data not available for California

National Median

$49,630

Most earn within this range

median ▾

$41K25th percentile

$59K75th percentile

Only you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.

Is This Career Right For You?

YOU Like

Being creative or artistic
Thinking and problem solving
Working with my hands

you value

Having support
Having freedom
Personal relationships

you are skilled in

Operation and Control
Operations Monitoring
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Quality Control Analysis

Go Deeper: Wooden Patternmakers Explained

Wooden PatternmakersExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years

Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years

ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years

Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years

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