Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 51-6092

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

The published band from $33,790 to $123,540 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Power Distributors and Dispatchers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Gas Plant Operators ($88K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-6092 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Create a master pattern for each size within a range of garment sizes, using charts, drafting instruments, computers, or grading devices
  2. 2. Input specifications into computers to assist with pattern design and pattern cutting
  3. 3. Draw details on outlined parts to indicate where parts are to be joined, as well as the positions of pleats, pockets, buttonholes, and ot…
  4. 4. Make adjustments to patterns after fittings
  5. 5. Compute dimensions of patterns according to sizes, considering stretching of material
  6. 6. Mark samples and finished patterns with information, such as garment size, section, style, identification, and sewing instructions
  7. 7. Draw outlines of pattern parts by adapting or copying existing patterns, or by drafting new patterns
  8. 8. Test patterns by making and fitting sample garments
  9. 9. Position and cut out master or sample patterns, using scissors and knives, or print out copies of patterns, using computers
  10. 10. Create a paper pattern from which to mass-produce a design concept
  11. 11. Discuss design specifications with designers, and convert their original models of garments into patterns of separate parts that can be l…
  12. 12. Examine sketches, sample articles, and design specifications to determine quantities, shapes, and sizes of pattern parts, and to determin…

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-6092 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Design. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.8
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.4
  3. 3. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
  4. 4. Time Management 3.3
  5. 5. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  6. 6. Speaking 3.1
  7. 7. Mathematics 3.1
  8. 8. Active Learning 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Design 4.2
  2. 2. Mathematics 4.0
  3. 3. English Language 3.9
  4. 4. Production and Processing 3.9
  5. 5. Education and Training 3.4
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 2.9
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$33,790 to $123,540
median $62,750 · ~3.7× spread
$63K
National median
↓ -10%
Growth 2024-2034
300
Annual openings
2,950
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

1. Massachusetts $47,680
2. Virginia $45,390
3. Oregon $55,740
4. California $89,010
5. North Carolina $48,180
6. Pennsylvania $65,900
7. New York $101,230
8. Missouri $56,490
9. Indiana $59,400
10. Ohio $49,220

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  2. 2. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  3. 3. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  4. 4. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  5. 5. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  6. 6. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380

The OEWS band for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers runs from $33,790 (10th) to $123,540 (90th), about 3.7× wide, with median $62,750. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect -10% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Massachusetts at $47,680. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers pay-rank #14 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers is pay-rank #14, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers is unusually wide, so the state map and peer comparison carry more signal than the median alone.

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-6092

Massachusetts · top state for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

$48K published median

Virginia · #2 state pay

$45K · behind Massachusetts

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers · $107K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers · $63K

Compare Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers is pay-rank #14 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K), Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K), Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K), Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ($64K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do fabric and apparel patternmakers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers. Leading ones include: Create a master pattern for each size within a range of garment sizes, using charts, drafting instruments, computers, or grading devices; Input specifications into computers to assist with pattern design and pattern cutting; Draw details on outlined parts to indicate where parts are to be joined, as well as the positions of pleats, pockets, buttonholes, and ot…; Make adjustments to patterns after fittings. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for fabric and apparel patternmakers? ▼
For SOC 51-6092, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.8), Active Listening (3.4), Judgment and Decision Making (3.3), Time Management (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Design, Mathematics, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $33,790 and the 90th at $123,540 for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers (3.7× spread). The national median is $62,750. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers is -10%. Projected annual openings: about 300. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers? ▼
Massachusetts ($47,680), Virginia ($45,390), Oregon ($55,740) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-6092. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics