Also called: Guitar Maker, Violin Maker, Instrument Repair Technician
Builds and repairs guitars, violins, cellos and other stringed instruments.
You carve the arched top of a violin from spruce, checking the thickness with calipers as you go. In between, you fix a cracked guitar neck for a touring musician. Some luthiers work at guitar factories; others run one-person shops with waiting lists.
Renowned violin makers can sell instruments for tens of thousands of dollars.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. Lutherie school (often under a year) or apprenticeship; violin-making schools take 3-4 years.
Ways in: Trade school, Apprenticeship, Self-taught. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Lutherie (trade school), Woodworking, Music.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years). BLS projects little change for instrument repairers overall.
Low risk for 10 years. Building and repairing instruments is hand craft; CNC helps factories, but repair and custom work stay human.
Classes: Woodshop class, Music, Physics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-9063.
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