Pattern maker vs technical pattern designer

The differences between pattern makers and technical pattern designers 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 technical pattern designer. Additionally, a technical pattern designer has an average salary of $64,349, which is higher than the $57,140 average annual salary of a pattern maker.

The top three skills for a pattern maker include sketch, CAD and CNC. The most important skills for a technical pattern designer are tech packs, , and .

Pattern maker vs technical pattern designer overview

	Pattern Maker	Technical Pattern Designer
Yearly salary	$57,140	$64,349
Hourly rate	$27.47	$30.94
Growth rate	-5%	3%
Number of jobs	7,387	111,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

Pattern maker vs technical pattern designer salary

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

	Pattern Maker	Technical Pattern Designer
Average salary	$57,140	$64,349
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $93,000	Between $37,000 And $109,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	-
Best paying company	General Motors	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between pattern maker and technical pattern designer education

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

	Pattern Maker	Technical Pattern Designer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Graphic Design	Graphic Design
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Pennsylvania

Pattern maker vs technical pattern designer demographics

Here are the differences between pattern makers' and technical pattern designers' demographics:

	Pattern Maker	Technical Pattern Designer
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
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 technical pattern designer 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.

Technical pattern designer example responsibilities.

Develop marketing and brand awareness initiatives through social media outlets; create and manage company Facebook and Houzz profiles.
Establish and disseminate corporate-wide AutoCAD standards to facilitate the overall design process employing multiple operators.
Develop marketing and brand awareness initiatives through social media outlets; create and manage company Facebook and Houzz profiles.

Pattern maker vs technical pattern designer skills

Common pattern maker skills

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

Common technical pattern designer skills

Tech Packs, 100%

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Pattern Maker vs Technical Pattern Designer

Updated January 8, 2025

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