Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masonss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Ohio$52,570
- New York$49,400
- California$48,050
- Hawaii$47,880
- Connecticut$45,210
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$25,040
- Tennessee$33,810
- Indiana$34,120
- North Carolina$34,940
- Georgia$35,050
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $52,570 | $53,340 | $25 | +23.9% | 40 |
| 2 | New York | $49,400 | $52,000 | $24 | +16.4% | — |
| 3 | California | $48,050 | $46,220 | $23 | +13.2% | 1,990 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $47,880 | $51,540 | $23 | +12.8% | 130 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $45,210 | $43,070 | $22 | +6.5% | — |
| 6 | Montana | $45,180 | $44,720 | $22 | +6.5% | 50 |
| 7 | Washington | $44,240 | $39,360 | $21 | +4.2% | 160 |
| 8 | Utah | $42,680 | $44,500 | $21 | +0.6% | — |
| 9 | Virginia | $41,860 | $43,160 | $20 | -1.4% | — |
| 10 | Oregon | $40,420 | $40,180 | $19 | -4.8% | 240 |
| 11 | Colorado | $39,930 | $42,470 | $19 | -5.9% | — |
| 12 | Michigan | $39,860 | $30,300 | $19 | -6.1% | — |
| 13 | Nevada | $39,540 | $38,330 | $19 | -6.8% | 80 |
| 14 | Idaho | $38,870 | $38,760 | $19 | -8.4% | 230 |
| 15 | Arizona | $38,200 | $32,000 | $18 | -10% | 110 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $37,800 | $37,340 | $18 | -10.9% | 250 |
| 17 | Maryland | $37,800 | $39,080 | $18 | -10.9% | 90 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $36,200 | $35,860 | $17 | -14.7% | 50 |
| 19 | Florida | $35,960 | $36,010 | $17 | -15.3% | 310 |
| 20 | Texas | $35,640 | $37,040 | $17 | -16% | 1,220 |
| 21 | Georgia | $35,050 | $35,430 | $17 | -17.4% | — |
| 22 | North Carolina | $34,940 | $35,980 | $17 | -17.7% | 260 |
| 23 | Indiana | $34,120 | $36,550 | $16 | -19.6% | — |
| 24 | Tennessee | $33,810 | $36,130 | $16 | -20.3% | 40 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $25,040 | $23,470 | $12 | -41% | 60 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 24 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $52,760 | $53,780 | — |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $52,000 | $49,920 | — |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $50,440 | $50,110 | 300 |
| 4 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,260 | $50,930 | 550 |
| 5 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $46,780 | $46,900 | 350 |
| 6 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $45,150 | $42,110 | — |
| 7 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $45,050 | $42,500 | — |
| 8 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,440 | $45,100 | 60 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge, LA | $44,330 | $40,770 | 80 |
| 10 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $43,890 | $44,610 | — |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masonss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masonry Contractors | $50,980 | $49,360 | 130 |
| 2 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $49,600 | $48,000 | 140 |
| 3 | Drywall and Insulation Contractors | $47,260 | $49,240 | 910 |
| 4 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $46,920 | $45,560 | 70 |
| 5 | Utility System Construction | $45,680 | $44,370 | 50 |
| 6 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $41,460 | $43,410 | 6,280 |
| 7 | Building Finishing Contractors | $41,410 | $43,180 | 5,440 |
| 8 | Sector 23 - Construction | $41,090 | $42,830 | 6,930 |
| 9 | Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $41,000 | $44,330 | — |
| 10 | Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | $40,880 | $41,980 | 4,530 |
| 11 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $40,510 | $42,450 | 7,440 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $40,470 | $42,440 | 7,490 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons make in the U.S.?
The median helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons salary in the United States is $40,470 per year (mean $42,440), and about 80% earn between $31,200 and $52,000.
How much do helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons make per hour?
Roughly $20 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $42,440 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons the most?
Ohio has the highest average pay for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons at $52,570 per year (median $53,340).
What is the job outlook for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
Employment is projected to change +2.3% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 800 openings per year.