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Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Cut or carve stone according to diagrams and patterns.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $46,170 Median per year · $22.20/hr Most earn $35,850–$61,530

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns.
  • Study artistic objects or graphic materials, such as models, sketches, or blueprints, to plan carving or cutting techniques.
  • Remove or add stencils during blasting to create differing cut depths, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finishes.
  • Select chisels, pneumatic or surfacing tools, or sandblasting nozzles, and determine sequence of use.
  • Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments.
  • Guide nozzles over stone, following stencil outlines, or chip along marks to create designs or to work surfaces down to specified finishes.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 5,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing51.7%
  • Self-employed (their own business)22.7%
  • Plastics product manufacturing2.3%
  • Temporary help services2.2%
  • Rubber product manufacturing2.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Yes, this is an entry-level job. You can start after high school, and most people spend about 1 to 2 years learning on the job before they work on their own patterns and diagrams with confidence.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    A diploma is the usual starting point, and math, drafting or shop classes help you read diagrams and measure accurately.

  2. Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

    6 months to 1 year

    You learn to finish stone surfaces by hand and handle the tools safely, which builds the careful eye and steady hands that stone cutting needs.

  3. Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

    Ongoing career

    You cut and carve stone from diagrams and patterns in a shop, often making countertops, memorials, or decorative pieces.

Where it can lead

  1. Stonemasons

    2 to 4 years of experience first

    Stonemasons take on more skilled, often on-site work such as building walls and structures, which usually requires more experience with stone and layout than shop cutting does.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and drafting or technical drawingMeasuring, geometry, and reading plans are used every day when you cut stone from a pattern.
  • Join a shop or woodworking classHands-on practice with tools teaches safety habits and comfort working with materials.
  • Try an art or sculpture classCarving and shaping forms builds the eye for detail that stone carvers need.
  • Get a part-time job or summer job at a hardware, lumber, or building supply storeYou can learn about materials and tools and show an employer you are reliable.
  • Visit a local stone shop or ask a family member in construction about their workSeeing the work up close helps you decide if it is something you enjoy.

In college

  • Take drafting, CAD, or engineering graphics coursesComputer drawing skills help with reading and making the patterns used in modern stone fabrication.
  • Look for a summer job or internship at a stone fabrication or monument shopReal shop experience is the most direct way to build skills and a work record.
  • Take a shop safety or power tool courseSafe use of cutting and grinding tools is important and looks good on a job application.
  • Join a trade or craft club, or a design or art student groupClubs help you meet people in the field and learn about job openings.
  • Consider a basic art, sculpture, or ceramics classWorking with form and texture builds the carving skills used in stone work.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local stone shop, monument company, or countertop fabricator whether they hire helpers or offer on-the-job training, even if you have no experience.
  • Practice reading simple drawings and measuring carefully, since working from diagrams and patterns is a core part of this job.
  • Keep a simple portfolio of any carving, woodworking, or art projects, because employers like to see hands-on work and care with detail.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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