Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
Career Matchup
CompareFind careersExploreGuideBrowseMethodology

Verified career profile

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

51-4062

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

Median annual wage

$58,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Projected change

-22.8%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Annual openings

0.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

National employment

1,470

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$58,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Mean annual wage

$60,610

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Hourly median wage

$27.89

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Hourly mean wage

$29.14

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

10th percentile annual wage

$42,460

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

25th percentile annual wage

$49,070

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

75th percentile annual wage

$69,960

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

90th percentile annual wage

$82,590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

National employment

1,470

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4062

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

-22.8%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Average annual openings

0.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

High school diploma or equivalent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4062

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

3.7 raw · CX scale
68% relative

Relative scale: 68% · raw 3.72 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Time pressure

4.1 raw · CX scale
78% relative

Relative scale: 78% · raw 4.13 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Spend time standing

4 raw · CX scale
75% relative

Relative scale: 75% · raw 4.01 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Exposed to contaminants

4.5 raw · CX scale
88% relative

Relative scale: 88% · raw 4.52 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.1 raw · CX scale
3% relative

Relative scale: 3% · raw 1.11 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

4.2 raw · CX scale
81% relative

Relative scale: 81% · raw 4.23 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Critical thinking

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Monitoring

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Reading comprehension

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Active listening

2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Relative scale: 41% · raw 2.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Speaking

2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Relative scale: 41% · raw 2.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Mathematics

2.4 raw · LV scale
34% relative

Relative scale: 34% · raw 2.38 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Active learning

2.1 raw · LV scale
30% relative

Relative scale: 30% · raw 2.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Writing

2.1 raw · LV scale
30% relative

Relative scale: 30% · raw 2.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Dependability

2.1 raw · WI scale
86% relative

Relative scale: 86% · raw 2.14 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Attention to detail

2.7 raw · WI scale
95% relative

Relative scale: 95% · raw 2.67 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Stress tolerance

0.7 raw · WI scale
61% relative

Relative scale: 61% · raw 0.68 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

Cooperation

0.3 raw · WI scale
54% relative

Relative scale: 54% · raw 0.25 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-4062.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 51-4062 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 51-4062 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 51-4062.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

Keep exploring

Move from this profile into a comparison, a focused career guide, or the evidence behind the published record.

Compare careers

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic vs Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Open comparison

Explore career guides

Browse by education, growth, or annual openings.

Open guides

Read methodology

See how source records are joined and presented.

View methodology

Inspect data sources

Open publisher documentation and release context.

View sources

Related published careers

Start with selected career alternatives, then explore occupations with related work and skill profiles. Entry requirements may differ.

Verified career

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

51-4031

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

Median pay

$46,330

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4031

Growth

-10.5%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4031

View career profile
Compare with Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Verified career

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

51-4122

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

Median pay

$47,920

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4122

Growth

-8.9%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4122

View career profile
Compare with Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Verified career

Pourers and Casters, Metal

51-4052

Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

Median pay

$51,810

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4052

Growth

-5%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4052

View career profile
Compare with Pourers and Casters, Metal

Verified career

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

51-4022

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

Median pay

$49,030

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-4022

Growth

-17.2%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-4022

View career profile
Compare with Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Career Matchup is an independent comparison tool.

Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.