Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

Median salary

$62,750

Average salary

$71,420

Employment

2,950

Projected growth

10.2% decline

Annual openings

300

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers Do

Draw and construct sets of precision master fabric patterns or layouts. May also mark and cut fabrics and apparel.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 3 of 5

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Designimportance 4.2/5
Mathematicsimportance 4.0/5
English Languageimportance 3.9/5
Production and Processingimportance 3.9/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.4/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.9/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.9/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.8/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.8/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7/5
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.5/5
Contact With Others4.5/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.3/5
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities4.2/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians97% skill match
Fire Inspectors and Investigators97% skill match
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors95% skill match
Dietetic Technicians95% skill match
Sewers, Hand93% skill match
Medical Dosimetrists93% skill match
Anesthesiologists93% skill match
Food Scientists and Technologists93% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.3/5
Time Managementimportance 3.3/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
Operations Monitoringimportance 3.0/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
Coordinationimportance 2.9/5
Instructingimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Gerber Technology AccuMark
PatternMaker

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Innovation
Achievement Orientation
Perseverance
Adaptability

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ArtisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
EnterprisingLow
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where fabric and apparel patternmakers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).