Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers (SOC 51-6092) earn a median $62,750 a year ($30.17 an hour) in the United States, with 2,950 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What fabric and apparel patternmakers do
Fabric and apparel patternmakers draw and build the master patterns from which garments and other sewn goods are cut. They produce a master pattern for each size in a range, computing dimensions with allowance for how the material stretches and drafting with charts, drafting instruments, computers, or grading devices. Patterns are made by adapting or copying existing ones or by drafting new ones. The patternmaker marks details such as where pleats, pockets, and buttonholes go, where parts are joined, and notes the size, style, and sewing instructions on each pattern. After a sample is sewn and fitted, they change the pattern to correct the fit. Specifications can be keyed into computers that help with designing and cutting patterns. Tailors and dressmakers, who make and fit individual garments, and sewing machine operators are classified in other occupations.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Apparel Patternmaker, Clothing Pattern Preparer, Clothing Patternmaker, Computer Patternmaker, Cutter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.25 | $20.49 | $30.17 | $45.16 | $59.39 | $34.34 | 2,950 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $42,620 | $62,750 | $93,930 | $123,540 | $71,420 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where fabric and apparel patternmakers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.35 | $34.17 | $48.67 | $62.57 | $72.76 | $49.06 | 670 | 0.07 | 3.62 |
| Annual | $56,880 | $71,070 | $101,230 | $130,150 | $151,340 | $102,040 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.95 | $31.10 | $42.79 | $47.95 | $55.19 | $40.66 | 930 | 0.05 | 2.69 |
| Annual | $47,730 | $64,690 | $89,010 | $99,740 | $114,800 | $84,560 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $14.45 | $25.28 | $31.68 | $40.00 | $41.32 | $31.36 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $30,060 | $52,570 | $65,900 | $83,200 | $85,940 | $65,230 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $18.07 | $22.00 | $28.56 | $38.46 | $42.72 | $29.63 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $37,580 | $45,750 | $59,400 | $79,990 | $88,850 | $61,640 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $18.20 | $20.00 | $27.16 | $30.22 | $38.34 | $26.45 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $37,860 | $41,600 | $56,490 | $62,850 | $79,740 | $55,020 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.95 | $31.10 | $42.79 | $47.95 | $55.19 | $40.66 | 930 | 0.05 | 2.69 |
| Annual | $47,730 | $64,690 | $89,010 | $99,740 | $114,800 | $84,560 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $27.35 | $34.17 | $48.67 | $62.57 | $72.76 | $49.06 | 670 | 0.07 | 3.62 |
| Annual | $56,880 | $71,070 | $101,230 | $130,150 | $151,340 | $102,040 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.25 | $16.25 | $16.25 | $18.49 | $22.76 | $18.46 | 380 | 0.04 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $33,790 | $33,790 | $38,450 | $47,330 | $38,400 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $15.50 | $17.63 | $23.17 | $28.09 | $30.50 | $23.62 | 270 | 0.06 | 2.90 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $36,670 | $48,180 | $58,420 | $63,450 | $49,140 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.32 | $12.82 | $16.79 | $19.79 | $31.93 | $17.73 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $21,460 | $26,670 | $34,930 | $41,170 | $66,410 | $36,880 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.35 | $34.17 | $48.68 | $62.57 | $73.22 | $49.32 | 630 | 0.07 | 3.47 |
| Annual | $56,880 | $71,070 | $101,250 | $130,150 | $152,300 | $102,590 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.38 | $31.43 | $42.79 | $47.95 | $55.19 | $41.15 | 830 | 0.13 | 6.96 |
| Annual | $48,620 | $65,370 | $89,010 | $99,740 | $114,800 | $85,580 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $23.71 | $31.16 | $41.10 | $47.81 | $55.66 | $40.36 | 40 | 0.02 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $49,320 | $64,820 | $85,490 | $99,430 | $115,770 | $83,940 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $22.64 | $22.65 | $26.70 | $32.83 | $38.52 | $28.71 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $47,100 | $47,110 | $55,540 | $68,290 | $80,120 | $59,720 | ||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $17.17 | $17.63 | $23.26 | $28.19 | $31.08 | $24.09 | 150 | 0.95 | 49.84 |
| Annual | $35,710 | $36,660 | $48,380 | $58,630 | $64,650 | $50,110 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.38 | $31.43 | $42.79 | $47.95 | $55.19 | $41.15 | 830 | 0.13 | 6.96 |
| Annual | $48,620 | $65,370 | $89,010 | $99,740 | $114,800 | $85,580 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.35 | $34.17 | $48.68 | $62.57 | $73.22 | $49.32 | 630 | 0.07 | 3.47 |
| Annual | $56,880 | $71,070 | $101,250 | $130,150 | $152,300 | $102,590 | ||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $17.17 | $17.63 | $23.26 | $28.19 | $31.08 | $24.09 | 150 | 0.95 | 49.84 |
| Annual | $35,710 | $36,660 | $48,380 | $58,630 | $64,650 | $50,110 | ||||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | Hourly | $14.63 | $14.63 | $19.28 | $27.28 | $30.39 | $21.75 | 70 | 0.19 | 10.23 |
| Annual | $30,420 | $30,420 | $40,090 | $56,740 | $63,210 | $45,230 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $23.71 | $31.16 | $41.10 | $47.81 | $55.66 | $40.36 | 40 | 0.02 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $49,320 | $64,820 | $85,490 | $99,430 | $115,770 | $83,940 | ||||
Top industries employing fabric and apparel patternmakers
Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing employ 34.6% of fabric and apparel patternmakers nationally (1,020 jobs) at a median $63,760 a year ($30.66 an hour), followed by Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (13.6%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (13.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing NAICS 315200 | 1,020 | 34.6% | $63,760 | $30.66 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers NAICS 458100 | 400 | 13.6% | * | * |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 390 | 13.2% | $102,340 | $49.20 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424300 | 370 | 12.5% | $89,010 | $42.79 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 200 | 6.8% | $55,480 | $26.67 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (2,950). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $58,650 for fabric and apparel patternmakers in May 2021 and $62,750 in May 2025, with employment of 3,220 and 2,950.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $58,650 | $28.20 | 3,220 |
| May 2022 | $60,320 | $29.00 | 3,070 |
| May 2023 | $62,510 | $30.05 | 2,670 |
| May 2024 | $67,670 | $32.54 | 2,860 |
| May 2025 | $62,750 | $30.17 | 2,950 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
13 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $48.67 | $101,230 | $56,880 | $151,340 | 670 | 0.07 | 3.62 |
| 2 | California profile | $42.79 | $89,010 | $47,730 | $114,800 | 930 | 0.05 | 2.69 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.68 | $65,900 | $30,060 | $85,940 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.38 |
| 4 | Indiana profile | $28.56 | $59,400 | $37,580 | $88,850 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.77 |
| 5 | Missouri profile | $27.16 | $56,490 | $37,860 | $79,740 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $26.80 | $55,740 | $36,250 | $76,770 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Ohio profile | $23.66 | $49,220 | $39,210 | $95,770 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.29 |
| 8 | North Carolina profile | $23.17 | $48,180 | $32,240 | $63,450 | 270 | 0.06 | 2.90 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $22.92 | $47,680 | $43,150 | $77,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Virginia profile | $21.82 | $45,390 | $37,780 | $63,500 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.52 |
| 11 | Mississippi profile | $19.74 | $41,060 | $31,200 | $49,860 | 30 | 0.03 | 1.48 |
| 12 | Texas profile | $16.79 | $34,930 | $21,460 | $66,410 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.26 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $16.25 | $33,790 | $33,790 | $47,330 | 380 | 0.04 | 2.03 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-6090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-6092 Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-6092, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-6092.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.