Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Median salary

$58,000

Average salary

$60,610

Employment

1,470

Projected growth

24.4% decline

Annual openings

100

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Do

Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.

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.

Production and Processingimportance 3.6/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.4/5
Mathematicsimportance 3.4/5
Designimportance 3.3/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.1/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.8/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.6/5
English Languageimportance 2.6/5

Work Environment

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

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5/5
Time Pressure4.5/5
Contact With Others4.5/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.5/5

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.

Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers90% skill match
Nuclear Technicians90% skill match
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders88% skill match
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic87% skill match
Model Makers, Wood87% skill match
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians87% skill match
Semiconductor Processing Technicians87% skill match
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators86% skill match

Transferable Skills

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

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.4/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
Time Managementimportance 2.9/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.6/5
Coordinationimportance 2.6/5

Software & Technologies

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

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

3D Systems Geomagic Design X
Delcam PowerMILL
Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software

Work Style

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

Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cautiousness
Achievement Orientation
Perseverance
Integrity
Stress Tolerance

Career Interests

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

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
ArtisticMedium
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow

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 patternmakers, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).