Construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
Model Makers, Wood
SOC: 51-7031 O*NET: 51-7031.00
Median Salary
$51,850
per year
Job Growth
📉 -4.5%
Slower (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
0.1
projected jobs/year
Education Level
Vocational school, on-the-job training, or associate degree
Job Zone 3
Construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
What does a Model Makers, Wood do?
How much can you earn?
Entry Level
$24,710
10th percentile
Early Career
$40,420
25th percentile
Median
$51,850
50th percentile
Experienced
$80,380
75th percentile
Top Earners
$95,850
90th percentile
National Salary Distribution
10th
$24,710
25th
$40,420
Middle 50%
MEDIAN
$51,850
Mean: $59,780
75th
$80,380
90th
$95,850
Middle 50% of earners
Median salary
Mean (average)
Key Insights
- •Salary range spans $71,140 from entry level to top earners
- •Middle 50% earn between $40,420 and $80,380
- •Salary spread is 77.1% around the median, showing high variation
- •Total national employment: 360 professionals
What's the job outlook?
Job Market Intelligence
Low Demand
Market demand
Medium Risk
Automation risk
Current Employment
National Employment:900
Top Industries
Manufacturing61.1%
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing33.3%
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)33.3%
10-Year Outlook
Growth Rate:-4.5%
Annual Openings:100
Employment Projections
2024 (Current)900
Current
2034 (Projected)900
-4.5%
0
Employment Change
-4.5%
Growth Rate
10
Year Projection
Growth Category: Decline
Geographic Salary & Employment Data
Explore where Model Makers, Wood professionals work across the United States
Showing 2 of 2 locations
Texas
70 jobs$41,9802.30x
Michigan
30 jobs$88,9403.08x
Understanding the Data
Location Quotient (LQ):
- • LQ > 1.0: More jobs than national average
- • LQ = 1.0: Same as national average
- • LQ < 1.0: Fewer jobs than national average
Data Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024
Key Growth Factors
- •Employment decline projected
What skills do you need?
Top 10 Most Important Skills
#1
Monitoring
100%
#2
Production and Processing
100%
#3
Near Vision
100%
#4
Finger Dexterity
92%
#5
Operations Monitoring
90%
#6
Design
90%
#7
Arm-Hand Steadiness
82%
#8
Building and Construction
80%
#9
Critical Thinking
80%
#10
Manual Dexterity
74%
Skills Overview
Monitoring
advanced5.0
100%
Production and Processing
advanced5.0
100%
Near Vision
advanced5.0
100%
Finger Dexterity
advanced4.6
92%
Operations Monitoring
advanced4.5
90%
Design
advanced4.5
90%
Arm-Hand Steadiness
intermediate4.1
82%
Building and Construction
intermediate4.0
80%
Skills are rated on a scale of 0-5, with 5 being the most important. The complexity level indicates how advanced the skill typically needs to be.
Filter:
Sort by:
Monitoring
advancedImportance100%
skills
5.0/5.0
Production and Processing
advancedImportance100%
knowledge
5.0/5.0
Near Vision
advancedImportance100%
abilities
5.0/5.0
Finger Dexterity
advancedImportance92%
abilities
4.6/5.0
Operations Monitoring
advancedImportance90%
skills
4.5/5.0
Design
advancedImportance90%
knowledge
4.5/5.0
Arm-Hand Steadiness
intermediateImportance82%
abilities
4.1/5.0
Building and Construction
intermediateImportance80%
knowledge
4.0/5.0
Critical Thinking
intermediateImportance80%
abilities
4.0/5.0
Manual Dexterity
intermediateImportance74%
abilities
3.7/5.0
Speaking
intermediateImportance70%
skills
3.5/5.0
Engineering and Technology
intermediateImportance70%
knowledge
3.5/5.0
Highly Transferable Skills
These skills are valuable across multiple career paths, making career transitions easier:
Crane and Tower Operators78%
5 shared skills
Office Machine Operators, Except Computer78%
5 shared skills
Furniture Finishers75%
5 shared skills
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service71%
5 shared skills
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers70%
5 shared skills
Dental Laboratory Technicians70%
5 shared skills
Skills by Career Stage
Entry Level
Must Have:
- ✓Monitoring
- ✓Production and Processing
- ✓Design
- ✓Building and Construction
Learn on the Job:
- →Mathematics
- →Administration and Management
- →Judgment and Decision Making
Mid Career
Expected:
- ✓Operations Monitoring
- ✓Monitoring
- ✓Production and Processing
- ✓Design
- ✓Building and Construction
Senior Level
Mastery Required:
- ★Production and Processing
- ★Design
- ★Building and Construction
- ★Critical Thinking
- ★Near Vision
Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on developing the top 5 skills first - they have the highest impact on career success
- •Transferable skills open doors to related careers and provide flexibility
- •Balance technical skills with soft skills for well-rounded professional development
- •Entry-level positions prioritize foundational skills that can be built upon over time
What technology will you use?
Technology & Digital Skills
Essential technology proficiencies for Model Makers, Wood
Technology Intensity
Medium
Digital Literacy Requirements
This career requires intermediate digital literacy
1
Basic
2
Intermediate
3
Advanced
4
Expert
Key Digital Competencies:
Office productivity softwareIndustry-specific applicationsBasic data entry and managementDigital communication tools
🔥
Hot Technologies in Demand
These technologies are currently trending and highly sought after in this field
Microsoft Outlook
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft PowerPoint
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Excel
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Word
🔥 Hot TechTechnology Stack
Technology Stack Overview
Key technologies used in this career
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
📚 Technology Learning Resources
Recommended Certifications
- •Vendor-specific software certifications
- •Industry-recognized technology credentials
- •Professional development courses
Online Learning Platforms
- •LinkedIn Learning - Comprehensive technology courses
- •Coursera - University-level programs
- •Udemy - Practical skills training
💡 Technology Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on mastering hot technologies first - they're currently most in-demand
- •Build a portfolio demonstrating your proficiency with key tools and software
- •Stay current through continuous learning - technology evolves rapidly
- •Consider vendor certifications to validate your skills to employers
What's the work environment like?
🏢
Location
MOSTLY INDOOR
💪
Physical Demand
HIGH
👥
Team Orientation
SOME TEAM
🤝
Customer Interaction
FREQUENT
💡Is This Work Environment Right for You?
Consider these factors when evaluating if you'll thrive in this work environment:
- •Are you comfortable working in mostly indoor environments?
- •Can you meet high physical demands?
- •Do you enjoy some team team environments?
- •Are you comfortable working with safety protocols and protective equipment?
What are the key tasks?
Tasks & Responsibilities
14
Core Tasks
8
Daily Tasks
20
Work Activities
0
Emerging Tasks
Filter:
Sort by:
General Responsibilities (8)Planning & Development (5)Documentation & Record-Keeping (1)
1
Verify dimensions and contours of models during hand-forming processes, using templates and measuring devices.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities100% perform100%
2
Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications, and consult with designers to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Planning & Development97% perform98%
3
Set up, operate, and adjust a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and planers to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns, according to specifications.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Planning & Development94% perform96%
4
Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, screws, and other fasteners.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities91% perform94%
5
Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Planning & Development88% perform92%
6
Select wooden stock, determine layouts, and mark layouts of parts on stock, using precision equipment such as scribers, squares, and protractors.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities85% perform90%
7
Construct wooden models, patterns, templates, full scale mock-ups, and molds for parts of products and production tools.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities82% perform88%
8
Mark identifying information on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods and details.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities79% perform86%
9
Plan, lay out, and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
Planning & Development76% perform84%
10
Fabricate work aids such as scrapers or templates.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
General Responsibilities73% perform82%
💡 Key Takeaways
- •Daily tasks focus primarily on general responsibilities activities
- •50% of tasks are performed by most workers in this occupation
- •Career advancement brings increased leadership and strategic responsibilities
What career paths are available?
Career Pathways
0
Advancement Opportunities
0
Lateral Move Options
0%
Avg. Salary Increase
Advancement Opportunities
Typical career progression paths from Model Makers, Wood
💡 Career Planning Tips
- •Most successful advancement happens after 3-5 years of experience
- •Lateral moves can provide valuable cross-functional experience for future leadership roles
- •Focus on developing skills that are transferable across multiple career paths
- •Consider industry trends when planning long-term career moves
Is this career right for you?
Personality & Values Fit
Is This Career Right for You?
Model Makers, Wood professionals typically have a RCA Holland code and highly value support
RRealistic
CConventional
AArtistic
Important Personality Traits
Work styles that contribute to success as a Model Makers, Wood
Attention to Detail
CriticalAttention to Detail
Importance Level4.67
Dependability
CriticalDependability
Importance Level4.60
Analytical Thinking
Very ImportantAnalytical Thinking
Importance Level4.47
Integrity
Very ImportantIntegrity
Importance Level4.44
Independence
Very ImportantIndependence
Importance Level4.38
Achievement/Effort
Very ImportantAchievement/Effort
Importance Level4.35
Complete Work Styles Profile
Attention to Detail
4.7
Dependability
4.6
Analytical Thinking
4.5
Integrity
4.4
Independence
4.4
Achievement/Effort
4.3
Initiative
4.3
Innovation
4.3
Persistence
4.2
Adaptability/Flexibility
4.0
💡 Tips for Career Fit Success
- •While personality fit is important, skills can be developed with practice and training
- •Consider informational interviews to better understand the day-to-day personality requirements
- •Work environments vary by employer - research specific companies for cultural fit
- •Your interests and values may evolve - reassess periodically throughout your career
What education is required?
Education Level
Vocational school, on-the-job training, or associate degree
Typical duration: Varies
Preparation Level
Job Zone 3
Medium Preparation Needed
Experience Needed
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience required
📚 Education Requirement
Required Level:Vocational school, on-the-job training, or associate degree
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training:
Training of more than one year
💼 Experience Requirement
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience required
Common pathways to gain experience:
- • Associate degree programs
- • Apprenticeships (1-2 years)
- • Vocational training with related experience
3
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Associate degree programsApprenticeships (1-2 years)Vocational training with related experience
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