Career comparison
Apparel Patternmaker vs. Textile Cutting Machine Operator
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Apparel patternmakers earn more at the median ($62,750 vs. $38,760), while textile cutting machine operators usually get to work faster (A few months on the job of training). Apparel patternmakers turn fashion designs into patterns that factories use to cut clothing. Textile cutting machine operators spread and cut fabric into pattern pieces for sewing.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Apparel Patternmaker | Textile Cutting Machine Operator | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $62,750 ($30.17/hr) | $38,760 ($18.64/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $33,790 – $123,540 | $28,650 – $49,420 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -15.0% (a projected decline) | -13.6% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 200 | 900 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | Months to years of training | A few months on the job |
| Key credential | Fashion design degree | CNC cutter training |
| Work setting | Patternmakers work in design studios and factories.. | Operators work in cutting rooms in sewn-products factories.. |
What each job does
Apparel Patternmaker
- Draft patterns
- Make samples
- Fit garments
- Grade sizes
- Create markers
Textile Cutting Machine Operator
- Spread fabric
- Place markers
- Run cutters
- Bundle pieces
- Label bundles
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work and steady routines. They sit in different fields, arts, media & design and mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing, but share transferable skills such as precision and precision.
Which should you choose?
Choose apparel patternmaker if…
- I love fashion
- I like math and shapes
- I can sew
Choose textile cutting machine operator if…
- I like precision
- I can stand
- I like machines
Still torn? Take the Apparel Patternmaker fit quiz and the Textile Cutting Machine Operator fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, apparel patternmaker or textile cutting machine operator?
Apparel Patternmakers earn more at the median: $62,750 versus $38,760 for textile cutting machine operators, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Textile Cutting Machine Operators typically train faster (A few months on the job) than apparel patternmakers (Months to years of training).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects textile cutting machine operators to grow -13.6% from 2025–35, compared with -15.0% for apparel patternmakers.