How much does a wood patternmaker make?
a year · about $24 an hour
A typical wood patternmaker in the United States makes $49,630 a year, about $24 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They read blueprints, mark lumber, and cut, shape, and join wooden pieces with hand tools and woodworking machines. Then they measure the finished pattern, smooth its surfaces, and repair damaged patterns.
Did you know? The wood pattern is made bigger than the metal part it will create, because the hot metal shrinks as it cools.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $37,600 and $83,780How do you become one?
Finish high school and learn shop math, blueprint reading, and woodworking. In the U.S., build skills through vocational classes or on the job; some apprenticeships accept people from age 16, and a special license is usually not needed.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like building and doing and creating
Why does pay differ?
Pay in the U.S. can vary with experience and skills such as precision woodworking, blueprint reading, and computer design. It also depends on the employer or industry and location; overtime or shift premiums can change total pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Pennsylvania ($55,020), lowest in Pennsylvania ($55,020).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $37,600 | $49,630 | $83,780 | about 220 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $55,020 | — |
Official definition: Plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-7032.00
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/51-7032.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes517032.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.afsinc.org/metalcasting-terms
- www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2022-title29-vol1/pdf/CFR-2022-title29-vol1-part
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY