Etchers and Engravers vs Patternmakers, Wood: $43K vs $50K Median Pay

Etchers and Engravers vs Patternmakers, Wood: what changes?

Consider Etchers and Engravers if you want to engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Consider Patternmakers, Wood if you would rather plan, lay out, and construct wooden unit or sectional patterns used in forming sand molds for castings. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Etchers and Engravers and Patternmakers, Wood. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Etchers and Engravers

National median pay (2025): $43,310
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 800

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.7% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Etchers and Engravers brief

Patternmakers, Wood

National median pay (2025): $49,630
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 100

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 2% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Patternmakers, Wood brief

How the national numbers differ

Patternmakers, Wood has the edge on median pay

Patternmakers, Wood is at $49,630, compared with $43,310 for Etchers and Engravers.

Typical preparation differs.

Etchers and Engravers: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Patternmakers, Wood: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on annual openings

Etchers and Engravers is at 800 annual openings, compared with 100 annual openings for Patternmakers, Wood.

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on projected growth

Etchers and Engravers is at -0.7% projected growth, compared with -2% projected growth for Patternmakers, Wood.

27.2/ 100

Etchers and Engravers

22/ 100

Patternmakers, Wood

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Etchers and Engravers vs Patternmakers, Wood

Dimension	Etchers and Engravers	Patternmakers, Wood
Median pay (2025)	$43,310	$49,630
Pay percentile	15.3 percentile	31.4 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-0.7%	-2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	800	100
2025 employment	8,900	600
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Etchers and Engravers brief Read Patternmakers, Wood brief

Etchers and Engravers vs Patternmakers, Wood: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Etchers and Engravers

Patternmakers, Wood

How the national numbers differ

Patternmakers, Wood has the edge on median pay

Typical preparation differs.

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on annual openings

Etchers and Engravers has the edge on projected growth

Etchers and Engravers vs Patternmakers, Wood

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