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Taxidermist
Personal ServicesYou preserve dead animals and make them look alive again, which is either an art form or the creepiest job in the world depending on who you ask. You'll skin, mount, and sculpt animals brought in by hunters, museums, and occasionally people who want their beloved pet preserved for eternity. The work is equal parts biology, sculpture, and dealing with decay.
Salary Range
Low
$25k
Median
$40k
High
$65k
10-Year Growth
slower
US Workers
9K
Education
Apprenticeship or taxidermy school — there's no university for this
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Animal skinning and preservation techniques
- ▸Sculpting and form building (polyurethane foam)
- ▸Tanning and hide preparation
- ▸Airbrush painting and finishing
- ▸Anatomy and reference photography
- ▸Habitat and base construction
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Artistic eye
- ▸Patience with detailed work
- ▸Customer consultation
- ▸Physical dexterity
- ▸Business management
What you'll actually do
- 01Skin and preserve animal hides using chemicals that require serious ventilation
- 02Sculpt anatomically accurate forms that the preserved skin gets mounted onto
- 03Paint and detail eyes, mouths, and features until the animal looks alive — or at least dignified
- 04Consult with hunters about poses, mounts, and placements for their trophy
- 05Manage the preserving process timeline — rush jobs and taxidermy don't mix well
- 06Handle the occasional request to preserve someone's pet and navigate that conversation with appropriate sensitivity
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