Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.
Also called: Boat Builder · Boat Carpenter · Chopper Gun Operator · Fiberglass Laminator · Fiberglass Technician · Fiberglasser
Median pay (national)
$45,760
$35,950–$61,370 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
18,520
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.2%
~2,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for fiberglass laminators and fabricators shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $61,370 versus $35,950 at the bottom 10% — 1.7x. The median of $45,760 leaves roughly 34% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.2% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 2,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 38 states with released data, Connecticut pays the most for this role (median $81,120, +77% vs the national median), while Georgia sits lowest at $35,300 — a 130% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
- Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
- Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
- Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
- Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
- Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.
- Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
- Trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.
- Inspect, clean, and assemble molds before beginning work.
- Apply lacquers and waxes to mold surfaces to facilitate assembly and removal of laminated parts.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Administration and Management
- Production and Processing
- Education and Training
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Administrative