Career
Patternmakers, metal and plastic
Make patterns for metal and plastic casting.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Read and interpret blueprints or drawings of parts to be cast or patterns to be made, compute dimensions, and plan operational sequences.
- Verify conformance of patterns or template dimensions to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, scales, and micrometers.
- Assemble pattern sections, using hand tools, bolts, screws, rivets, glue, or welding equipment.
- Repair and rework templates and patterns.
- Clean and finish patterns or templates, using emery cloths, files, scrapers, and power grinders.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Read and interpret blueprints or drawings of parts to be cast or patterns to be made, compute dimensions, and plan operational sequences.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $58,000 a year and 100 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Sheet Metal Technology/SheetworkingCIP 48.0506
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers$62,750 · -15.0%
- Patternmakers, Wood$49,630 · -2.0%
- Tool and Die Makers$64,050 · -9.2%
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$63,870 · -3.4%
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic$63,340 · -17.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.