Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-7032

Patternmakers, Wood

Median pay sits 33% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Tool and Die Makers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Patternmakers, Wood: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Patternmakers, Wood publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-7032 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups
  2. 2. Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, and screws
  3. 3. Lay out patterns on wood stock and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products, based on blueprint spe…
  4. 4. Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools
  5. 5. Divide patterns into sections according to shapes of castings to facilitate removal of patterns from molds
  6. 6. Verify dimensions of completed patterns, using templates, straightedges, calipers, or protractors
  7. 7. Correct patterns to compensate for defects in castings
  8. 8. Set up, operate, and adjust a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and lathes to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns…
  9. 9. Finish completed products or models with shellac, lacquer, wax, or paint
  10. 10. Estimate costs for patternmaking jobs
  11. 11. Mark identifying information such as colors or codes on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods
  12. 12. Repair broken or damaged patterns

Patternmakers, Wood: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-7032 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.1 ; lead knowledge Mathematics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  2. 2. Monitoring 3.1
  3. 3. Complex Problem Solving 3.1
  4. 4. Operations Monitoring 3.1
  5. 5. Operation and Control 3.1
  6. 6. Active Listening 3.0
  7. 7. Mathematics 3.0
  8. 8. Critical Thinking 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mathematics 4.0
  2. 2. Design 3.6
  3. 3. Engineering and Technology 3.6
  4. 4. Mechanical 3.6
  5. 5. Building and Construction 3.3
  6. 6. Administration and Management 3.3
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-33%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $49,630/yr
$50K
National median
↓ -5%
Growth 2024-2034
220
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Patternmakers, Wood

1. Pennsylvania $55,020

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  2. 2. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  3. 3. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  4. 4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  5. 5. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  6. 6. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Patternmakers, Wood sits 33% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $49,630.

Employment Projections expect -5% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). 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: Pennsylvania at $55,020. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Patternmakers, Wood pay-rank #37 in Production Occupations

Patternmakers, Wood sits at pay-rank #37 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table 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.

Patternmakers, Wood pays 33% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Patternmakers, Wood salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-7032

Pennsylvania · top state for Patternmakers, Wood

$55K published median

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Patternmakers, Wood · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Patternmakers, Wood · $62K

Compare Patternmakers, Wood

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Patternmakers, Wood with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Patternmakers, Wood

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Patternmakers, Wood mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #37 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Dental Laboratory Technicians ($50K), Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners ($50K), Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do patternmakers, wood do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Patternmakers, Wood. Leading ones include: 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 spe…; Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for patternmakers, wood? ▼
For SOC 51-7032, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.1), Monitoring (3.1), Complex Problem Solving (3.1), Operations Monitoring (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Mathematics, Design, Engineering and Technology. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Patternmakers, Wood? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $49,630 as the national median for Patternmakers, Wood. The published 10th-90th range is $37,600 to $83,780. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Patternmakers, Wood? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Patternmakers, Wood is -5%. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Patternmakers, Wood? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Patternmakers, Wood. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Is state-level OEWS pay published for Patternmakers, Wood? ▼
Pennsylvania ($55,020) 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 Patternmakers, Wood card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-7032. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Patternmakers, Wood. 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