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Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

Production · SOC 51-6092

0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$62,750
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
600
Proj. Annual Openings
2,950
Employment (OEWS 2025)
-10.8%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score

AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.

Decision card

Career Evidence Passport

SOC 51-6092 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.

Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
SOC exposure
0.0%
Low · Anthropic AEI
Automation friction
57/100
Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
Wages
$62,750
No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
Projected openings
600
BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -10.2%.
Observed/proxy demand
0
FY2025 certified LCAs; 652 postings in 2025.

Skill evidence

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingTime ManagementReading Comprehension

Transition context

  • H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
  • Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
  • Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
  • This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.

AI Exposure Analysis

AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.7%

Across AI measures

Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.

36.2%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI46.9%
AI ability · AIOE61.6%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne0.5%

AI could do ~46.9% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.

Top Skills

1.Critical Thinking
2.Active Listening
3.Judgment and Decision Making
4.Time Management
5.Reading Comprehension

H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand

View full H-1B trends →

Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.

4
Decade Total (Certified LCAs)
0
FY2025 Volume
0% of all H-1B filings in FY2025
$0
Median Offered Wage (Latest Year)
#537 of 776
Rank by Total Volume
H-1B filing volume, FY2016–FY2025

O*NET occupation profile

What this work involves

Draw and construct sets of precision master fabric patterns or layouts. May also mark and cut fabrics and apparel.

Common titles: Cutter, Designer, Fabric Cutter, Pattern Designer, Pattern Maker, Pattern Technician

Representative Tasks

  • Create a master pattern for each size within a range of garment sizes, using charts, drafting instruments, computers, or grading devices.
  • Input specifications into computers to assist with pattern design and pattern cutting.
  • Draw details on outlined parts to indicate where parts are to be joined, as well as the positions of pleats, pockets, buttonholes, and other features, using computers or drafting instruments.
  • Make adjustments to patterns after fittings.
  • Compute dimensions of patterns according to sizes, considering stretching of material.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Design templates or patterns.
  • Program equipment to perform production tasks.
  • Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
  • Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production.
  • Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.

Tools & Technologies

Adobe Illustrator · hotAdobe Photoshop · hotAutodesk AutoCAD · hotMicrosoft Excel · hotAdobe Creative Cloud software · hotAdobe InDesign · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotGerber Technology AccuMarkPatternMaker

Employment Projections & AI Exposure

15
Occupations Shown
0.5%
Avg AI Exposure
1
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.

Employment & Wage Trend

BLS OEWS, 2019–2025


Occupation Employment & Wage TrendMulti-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 51-6092: 2019 — employment: 5,870, median wage: $45,070; 2020 — employment: 4,670, median wage: $49,680; 2021 — employment: 3,220, median wage: $58,650; 2022 — employment: 3,070, median wage: $60,320; 2023 — employment: 2,670, median wage: $62,510; 2025 — employment: 2,950, median wage: $62,750.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.

Sector Comparison

MetricThis CareerSector Average
AI Exposure0.0%0.7%
OutlookAverage4% Bright
Median Salary$62,750N/A
AI Resiliency100/100N/A