Career profile · 51-7032
Patternmakers, Wood
Plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings.
What the work can involve
- 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 specifications and sketches, and using marking and measuring devices.
- Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Divide patterns into sections according to shapes of castings to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.
- Verify dimensions of completed patterns, using templates, straightedges, calipers, or protractors.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Mathematics
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Mathematics
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
- Thinking Creatively
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 51.2%08/2021 · sample 22 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 88.1%08/2021 · sample 23 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 43.2%08/2021 · sample 23 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Never | 35.0%08/2021 · sample 24 |
| Spend Time Standing | Continually or almost continually | 46.0%08/2021 · sample 24 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 45.2%08/2021 · sample 23 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 70.2%08/2021 · sample 24 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 83.3%08/2021 · sample 24 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Computer aided design CAD software: 3D Systems Geomagic Design X, Autodesk AutoCAD
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software: Delcam PowerMILL, Mastercam computer-aided design and manufacturing software
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for patternmakers, wood
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 1 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $55,020 | $26.45 | Not published |
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters→
- Model Makers, Wood→
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood→
- Woodworkers, All Other→
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 51-7032.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.