Also called: Art Fabricator, Studio Fabricator
Builds artworks for famous artists who design the piece but hire specialized shops to make it.
At a fabrication studio, they might mill a giant shiny stainless-steel sculpture one week and cast resin for a gallery installation the next. They read the artist's drawings, solve engineering problems, and use CNC machines, welders, and polishing tools. It is part artist, part machinist.
Estimate based on job postings at fabrication studios in New York and Los Angeles.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Often a BFA plus shop skills in welding, woodworking, or CNC; many learn on the job.
Ways in: 4-year college, Trade school, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Sculpture, Industrial Design, Fine Arts, Welding (trade school).
Growing about average. Niche but stable demand from major artists and museums.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. CNC routers, 3D printers and robot arms take over more shaping work; complex finishing and problem-solving one-off pieces stay human.
Classes: Woodshop or welding CTE, Engineering or CAD class, AP Studio Art 3-D Design.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1013.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.