Patternmakers, Wood vs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Patternmakers, Wood and Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Patternmakers, Wood | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $52,520 | $49,900 |
| Employment | 180 | 53,380 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | Declining (-5.0%) | Declining (-16.3%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 0 | 4,100 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Moderate · 40th pct | Low · 9th pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 20th pct · 16% of tasks | 5th pct · 11% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | Automation-leaning (61.9%) | — |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | No |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Mathematics, Manual Dexterity, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Control Precision, Near Vision, Design, Mechanical, Reaction Time, Finger Dexterity, Administration and Management, Information Ordering, Visualization, Production and Processing, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Oral Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Category Flexibility, Selective Attention, Multilimb Coordination, Static Strength, Customer and Personal Service, Active Listening, Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Trunk Strength, Depth Perception, Speech Clarity.
Specific to Patternmakers, Wood
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operation and Control
- Quality Control Analysis
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Perceptual Speed
- Speech Recognition
Specific to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- English Language
- Speaking
- Inductive Reasoning
- Far Vision
- Education and Training
- Time Sharing
- Public Safety and Security
- Social Perceptiveness
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Computer aided design CAD software , Spreadsheet software , Office suite software , Electronic mail software .
Specific to Patternmakers, Wood
Specific to Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Patternmakers, Wood or Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Model Makers, Wood
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Wood vs Tool and Die Makers
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Patternmakers, Wood vs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/patternmakers-wood-vs-structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters
Singulariki. (2026). Patternmakers, Wood vs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/patternmakers-wood-vs-structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters
@misc{singulariki-patternmakers-wood-vs-structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters,
title = {Patternmakers, Wood vs Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/patternmakers-wood-vs-structural-metal-fabricators-and-fitters}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.