Preserves and mounts animals, birds and fish so they look lifelike, for hunters, anglers, museums, nature centers and film productions. BLS does not publish separate figures for craft artists; it counts them within craft artist (SOC 27-1012), whose median pay is $46,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 27-1012
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Taxidermist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $46,080a year, or $22.15/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $26KTop 10% $72K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.0%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,00011,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202511.5K
- Projected 203511.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 11.5K Projected 2035 11.8K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school17.4%
- High school26.1%
- Certificate26.1%
- Some college17.4%
- Bachelor's8.7%
- Post-bacc certificate4.4%
Highest education held by craft artists Segment Value Less than high school 17.4% High school 26.1% Certificate 26.1% Some college 17.4% Bachelor's 8.7% Post-bacc certificate 4.4%
Also advertised as: Wildlife Taxidermist, Museum Taxidermist, Fish Taxidermist, Bird Taxidermist, Taxidermy Artist.
Pay
How much do Craft Artists make?
Every taxidermist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$46,080
Middle half earn $35,020 to $58,240
- 10th
- $25,960
- 25th
- $35,020
- 75th
- $58,240
- 90th
- $71,990
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $25,960 |
| 25th | $35,020 |
| Median | $46,080 |
| 75th | $58,240 |
| 90th | $71,990 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $46,080
- Median hourly wage
- $22.15/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $49,740
- People employed
- 4,580
Versus all US occupations
At $46,080, Craft Artists earn 10% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,900 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 32% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $71,990 or more while the bottom 10% earn $25,960, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 13% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $100,540, and still leads at $90,806 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Craft Artists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $100,540 | $90,806 | 170 |
| 2Missouri | $61,780 | $68,027 | 140 |
| 3Wisconsin | $58,650 | $62,331 | 190 |
| 4Texas | $54,690 | $56,348 | 870 |
| 5Maine | $53,380 | $55,003 | 50 |
| 6Oregon | $51,060 | $49,400 | 170 |
| 7New York | $49,020 | $45,422 | 50 |
| 8Georgia | $48,880 | $50,762 | N/A |
| 9Florida | $48,710 | $47,102 | 270 |
| 10Massachusetts | $47,660 | $45,066 | 50 |
Job outlook
Is Taxidermist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Craft Artists | +2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Craft Artists to change 2.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,000 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 11,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Taxidermist
There is no degree requirement. Many taxidermists learn through an apprenticeship with an established studio or attend a taxidermy school, followed by years of practice. Anatomy, sculpting and painting skills are central to the craft.
The National Taxidermists Association and state taxidermy associations run competitions, seminars and judging that help taxidermists improve, and competition awards build a reputation. Taxidermists must follow wildlife laws: federal rules under 50 CFR Part 21 require a permit to perform taxidermy on migratory birds, and many states require a license and recordkeeping for game animals.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as craft artists.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)26.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate26.1%
- Less than a High School Diploma17.4%
- Some College Courses17.4%
- Bachelor's Degree8.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 26.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 26.1% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 17.4% |
| Some College Courses | 17.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 8.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Taxidermist do?
Taxidermists prepare lifelike mounts of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. The work starts with skinning and fleshing the animal, then tanning or preserving the hide. The taxidermist fits the skin over a sculpted form, sets glass eyes, sculpts details around the eyes, nose and mouth, and paints areas that lose color, like fish skin and bird feet.
Most taxidermists run small studios serving hunters and anglers, while others work for natural history museums, nature centers and universities, preparing specimens for exhibits and research. Some build replica fish from photos and measurements, restore old mounts, or make pieces for film, theater and interior design.
Day-to-day tasks
- Skin, flesh and preserve animal hides
- Tan hides or send them to commercial tanneries
- Select and alter forms to match the animal's measurements
- Mount skins on forms and set eyes
- Sculpt facial details and paint fish, feet and bare skin
- Build habitat bases and display pieces
- Keep wildlife records and permits required by law
- Restore and repair older mounts
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Taxidermists work in studios and workshops, often attached to their home, and handle chemicals, tools and raw hides. Work is seasonal, with a rush after fall hunting seasons. Museum taxidermists work in preparation labs. The job takes patience and detailed handwork, and it can involve strong smells and messy tasks.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Writing2.8
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Persuasion2.8
- Service Orientation2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Operations Analysis2.6
- Coordination2.5
- Quality Control Analysis2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Service Orientation | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Operations Analysis | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.5 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Electronic mail software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Instant messaging software
- Internet browser software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Taxidermist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RA) built on O*NET's Craft Artist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Taxidermist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 6 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Artistic5.9
- Realistic5.9
- Enterprising2.9
- Conventional2.7
- Investigative1.9
- Social1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Taxidermist
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Production
Jeweler and Precious Stone and Metal Worker
$52,540median a year
Most earn $36K to $88K
−3.2%High school - Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Fine Artist, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
$55,490median a year
Most earn $32K to $144K
−2.9%Bachelor's - Production
- Production
- Production
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Worker
$41,600median a year
Most earn $31K to $61K
+1.3%No formal credential
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with craft artists highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Taxidermist$46,080
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Taxidermist | $46,080 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Taxidermist appears on
Questions
Taxidermist: frequently asked questions
How much do Craft Artists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for craft artists. It counts them within craft artist, whose median pay is $46,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $35,020 and $58,240, and the top 10% earn $71,990 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Taxidermist?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Craft Artists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 26.1% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Taxidermist a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.0% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Taxidermist do?
Taxidermists prepare lifelike mounts of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. A typical task: skin, flesh and preserve animal hides. Employers most often ask for Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Craft Artists the most?
The highest state medians for Craft Artists are California ($100,540), Missouri ($61,780), Wisconsin ($58,650) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Taxidermist?
O*NET scores Craft Artists highest on the Artistic and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INTP, ISTP, INFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.