Also called: Prop Fabricator, Props Artisan
Builds the props used in movies, theater, cosplay, and theme parks.
Prop makers 3D-print, sculpt, cast, and paint everything from fake swords to alien gadgets, aging them so they look real on camera.
Mostly freelance or small-business income, which varies widely.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 2 years after high school. Theater technology or industrial design training; portfolio.
Ways in: Self-taught, Trade school, On-the-job training, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Theater Technology, Industrial Design, Fine Arts.
Growing about average. No separate BLS projection; estimate based on related occupations.
Low risk for 10 years. 3D printing and AI design speed up parts, but sculpting, casting, painting and aging real props stays craft work.
Classes: Art/sculpture, Theater tech, Woodshop, CAD/3D printing.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1012.
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.