Families / Craft

Tailor / Patternmaker

Cuts, fits and constructs garments to a body rather than a size chart. Alterations fund the practice; bespoke defines it.

Pay band (est.)
$36k–$85k
Time to competence
6 years
Licence
None
Setting
studio
Leverage
low
Place constraint
high
Physical demand
40/100
Hours burden
50/100

Factor percentiles

Percentile against the whole curated set. Higher is better on that factor only.

  • Play68th

    Absorbing rather than merely paid.

  • Specific knowledge73th

    A combination of skills that is hard to copy.

  • Leverage14th

    Output that scales through code, media, capital or crew.

  • Demand18th

    Durability and shortage, scored conservatively.

  • Pay9th

    Mid-career floor and the range above it.

  • Body60th

    Inverse of physical demand and hours.

  • Autonomy22th

    Control of methods and time.

  • People fit89th

    Distance from your preferred people level.

  • Place flexibility10th

    Remote fit and freedom from specific metros.

  • Time to skill44th

    Inverse of years to competence.

  • Meaning load52th

    Care, craft and stewardship weight. Not a moral score.

  • Downside tolerance51th

    Inverse of named risk to body, market or platform.

Downside

Concentrated in a few cities; competes with cheap ready-to-wear.

Examine this against your weights

The percentiles above use the default weights. Set your own on the ranking and this vocation moves with them.

Source note: Trade patterns; editorial estimate. All figures are estimates for comparison.