Also called: Climbing Hold Designer, Hold Sculptor
Sculpts the colorful grips bolted to climbing gym walls, shaping them in foam or clay, then molding and casting them in urethane.
A climbing hold shaper carves a new set of crimps from foam, sanding until the edges feel just right in the hand. They make silicone molds, cast test holds, and bolt them onto a test wall for climbers to try before the set goes into production.
Approximate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
No formal education, about 1 year after high school. No degree; sculpting skills and climbing experience matter most.
Ways in: Self-taught, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Industrial Design, Sculpture.
Growing faster than average. Climbing gyms keep opening across the US.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. 3D modeling and printing are growing, but hand-sculpting and testing how a hold feels stay human.
Classes: Art (sculpture), Engineering or CTE, Chemistry.
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.