Also called: 3D Printer Technician, Metal AM Technician
Runs, maintains and calibrates industrial 3D printers and prepares builds for production.
You suit up with a respirator to safely load fine metal powder into a printer, level the build plate and start a job that will run overnight. In the morning you unpack the parts from the powder like an archaeologist, then saw them off the plate and send them for heat treatment.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate degree or certificate in additive manufacturing or manufacturing technology; on-the-job training.
Ways in: 2-year college, Certification, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Additive Manufacturing (2-year), Manufacturing Technology.
Growing much faster than average. Growing quickly as companies adopt industrial printers.
Low risk for 10 years. Industrial printers still need people for setup, powder handling, calibration and maintenance; demand is growing.
Classes: Engineering CTE (PLTW), Computer science, Chemistry.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9199.
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.