Pattern maker vs pattern technician

The differences between pattern makers and pattern technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a pattern maker and a pattern technician. Additionally, a pattern maker has an average salary of $57,140, which is higher than the $52,879 average annual salary of a pattern technician.

The top three skills for a pattern maker include sketch, CAD and CNC. The most important skills for a pattern technician are CAD, digitizing, and .

Pattern maker vs pattern technician overview

	Pattern Maker	Pattern Technician
Yearly salary	$57,140	$52,879
Hourly rate	$27.47	$25.42
Growth rate	-5%	1%
Number of jobs	7,387	23,931
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

Pattern maker vs pattern technician salary

Pattern makers and pattern technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pattern Maker	Pattern Technician
Average salary	$57,140	$52,879
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $93,000	Between $36,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	-
Best paying company	General Motors	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between pattern maker and pattern technician education

There are a few differences between a pattern maker and a pattern technician in terms of educational background:

	Pattern Maker	Pattern Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Graphic Design	Graphic Design
Most common college	Cornell University	Harvard University

Pattern maker vs pattern technician demographics

Here are the differences between pattern makers' and pattern technicians' demographics:

	Pattern Maker	Pattern Technician
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8%	Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.3% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 12.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between pattern maker and pattern technician duties and responsibilities

Pattern maker example responsibilities.

Manage team processes and production of costumes with other pattern makers and technical designers to ensure deadlines are meet.
Design and create women's apparel production patterns including dresses, tops, pants, and jackets.
Knock offs, draping, and digitizing.
Work with Lesage embroidery and Lemarie feather supplier.
Plot markers stencils for contractor's cutting production.
Work with denim and twills for bottoms and jeans.

Pattern technician example responsibilities.

Manage team processes and production of costumes with other pattern makers and technical designers to ensure deadlines are meet.
Create design block patterns to follow designer's sketch and revise them after reviewing with designer.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Supervise and train less experience personnel in operation of laboratory standards, developing calibration procedures and OSHA safety policies.

Pattern maker vs pattern technician skills

Common pattern maker skills

Sketch, 22%
CAD, 9%
CNC, 9%
Blueprint Specifications, 6%
Tech Packs, 6%
Apparel, 5%

Common pattern technician skills

CAD, 62%
Digitizing, 38%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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