Sign maker
Also known as: traffic sign maker, signboard writer, sign maintenance worker, sign writer, sign installer, signboard maker
About this occupation
Sign makers design and develop signs for a variety of uses such as flyers, traffic signs, billboards and business signs. They use different materials and techniques and if necessary they install the sign on site. Furthermore they also perform maintenance and repairs.
Essential skills and knowledge
- develop design ideas cooperatively
- make numerical calculations
- graphic design
- present detailed design proposals
- develop design concept
- collaborate with designers
- plan new packaging designs
- draw design sketches
- develop design plans
- design package
- develop creative ideas
- monitor developments in technology used for design
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Highway Maintenance Workers (O*NET 47-4051.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Social
Top skills: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Coordination, Active Listening, Speaking
US median pay: US$50,260 a year (2025), 154,960 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.5)
- WoodworkO*NET: Building and ConstructionImportant (3.2)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
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- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Helpers--Extraction Workers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.