Also called: Prop Maker, Model Maker, Scenic Fabricator
Builds props, models and themed objects for movies, theme parks, museums and product design.
You sculpt a giant fake dinosaur bone in foam, coat it in hard plastic and paint it to look millions of years old. Next week you build a scale model of a new car for designers, or a fake food prop for a commercial.
Film and theme-park fabricators in LA and Orlando earn toward the top; union pay can be high.
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 or bachelor's in theater tech, industrial design or fine arts; many learn in shops.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college, On-the-job training, Self-taught. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Theater Technology, Industrial Design, Fine Arts, Sculpture.
Growing about average. No specific BLS projection; tied to entertainment and themed-construction work.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI design and 3D printing speed up props, but building, painting and finishing physical pieces stays hands-on.
Classes: Art, Theater tech crew, Woodshop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9031.
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.