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Skilled Trades

Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.

Median salary (BLS)

$46,880

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $64k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

    Entry / Junior

    $36,910

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

    Established

    $46,880

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

    Senior

    $55,320

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
  • •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.
  • •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.
  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.